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CONVERSATIONS 






CATECHISM 



^rntestat f piHrnpol Ctiiirrl}, 



ABRIDGED AND ACCOMMODATED TO THE AMEHICAW 
CHURCH, FROM AN ENGLISH EDITION, 



BY THB 

RIGHT REV. WILLIAM MEADE. 



PHILADELPHIA: 
KING & BAIRD, PRINTERS, 9 GEORGE ST. 



1849. 



^^X. 






CONVERSATIONS 



1} m"i g 



CATECHISM 



ABRIDGED AI^D ACCOMMODATED TO THE AMESICAST 
CHURCH, FROM AIS" EIS^GLISH EDITIOIf. 



EIGHT REV. WILLIAM MEADE. 



PHILADELPHIA: 

KING & BAIRD, PRINTERS, 9 GEORGE ST. 

1849. 






Peabodyin3t..Balto. 
Jaa. -28 



A3 



^ 



PREFACE TO THE AMERICAN EDITION. 



The following work appeared in England about 
ten years since, as the production of an anonymous 
author. The undersigned will be much disap- 
pointed if it does not meet with the same favor, 
which was shown by a large number of American 
Episcopalians, to the popular stories on the Church 
Catechism, by Mrs. Sherwood ; which work it re- 
sembles not a little, and in some respects certainly 
excels. It shows great labor in the references to 
appropriate scriptures, as well as great felicity in 
the choice of illustrations suited to the youthful 
mind. If it be used according to its design, and as 
it deserves, it will be equally profitable and inter- 
esting to the parent or sponsor and the child. 
Although it will be very instructive and pleasing 
if read without referring to the scriptures appealed 
to, yet it would not be doing justice to the work, 



4 PREFACE TO THE AMERICAN EDITION. 

if after being once read through in this manner, it 
is not afterwards studied with the Bible in the hand 
of either the child or the teacher, that the scripture 
authorities and history may be consulted. It is 
confidently believed that such a method will be 
found most edifying and satisfactory, by those who 
shall make trial of it. 

The undersigned has selected this work in order 
to meet a want often felt both by parents and minis- 
ters, in their instruction of children in the Church 
Catechism, and that is, something more simple and 
easier to be understood by young beginners, than 
those expositions of the Catechism which attempt 
the explanation of each sentence and subject, and 
require that the answers be conmiitted to memory. 
Together with this, the undersigned has put forth 
such an exposition drawn chiefly from the most 
approved writers on the subject, and hopes that 
both of them may prove acceptable and useful to 
the ministers and members of the Diocese under 
his care, and to any others who may think them 
worthy of their adoption. 



PREFACE TO THE AMERICAN EDITION. 5 

In order to make this volume as suitable as 
possible to the object in view, the undersigned has 
not only omitted some things which referred 
peculiarly to England and the English Church, but 
also some parts of the work which touched on 
points in dispute among Episcopalians, and which 
could be neither interesting, edifying, or intelhgible 
to the child. 

A very few words of his own connecting together 
parts which were disjoined by the omission, are 
all that have been added by the undersigned. 

WILLIAM MEADE, 

Bisliop of the Diocese of Virginia, 



PART I. 

THE BAPTISMAL COYENANT. 



SUNDAY EVENING I. 

ON THE DUTIES OF SPONSORS, • 

William. My dear Godmamma, I have now 
learnt all my Catechism, from beginning to end: 
and mamma wishes me to ask you to hear me say it. 

Aunt. That my dear boy, I will gladly do; 
and if you will come to my room every Sunday 
Evening, during my stay with your dear mamma, I 
will try to make you understand it, for I dare say 
you find it rather difficult. 

William. I shall like it so much, for I thought 
just now, although I can say it quite perfectly, with- 
out missing one word : yet, if my Godmamma asks 
me any questions about it, I do not think I can 
answer them. 

Aunt. You know, dear Willie, that I am always 
pleased to talk to you, when you are attentive, but 
in this case, it is my duty^ as well as my pleasure. 

William. Your cluty^ Aunt ! I did not know it 



8 ON THE DL'TIES 

was the duty of any one to teach me, except papa 
and mamma, but I am sure it is very kind of any one 
to take the trouble. 

AuxT. You have been told, my dear, that when 
you were a very little baby, I, and some other friends 
accompanied your dear papa and mamma to church, 
when they took you there for the first time, to de- 
dicate you to God in baptism. 

William. Yes, I have heard that, and so you 
are called my Godmother ; but I do not know why ; 
though there is something about godfathers and god- 
mothers in the catechism. 

Aunt. When we begin to talk about the cate- 
chism, I shall be able to explain it more clearly ; 
but now I wish you to remember that godfathers 
and godmothers are sometimes called " Sponsors," 
anu sometimes, *' Sureties." 

William. Yes, I know the last word, it is in 
the last part of the catechism ; but what do they 
both mean? 

Aunt. A Sponsor means a person who answers 
for another, promising they shall do something. 

William. What ! suppose I was to promise you 
that my little sister Harriet should come here next 
time with me : — should I be her sponsor ? 

ArNT. Yes, just so. Until you had brought her 
and your promise for her was fulfilled, you would 



OF SPONSORS. 9 

be answerable for it. — You would feel that you had 
something to do for her, — would you not ? 

William. Yes, dear Aunt; having promised 
you that I would do it, I should not be happy, until 
I had kept my "promise ;- and if Harriet did not like 
to come, or fretted about it, I should persuade her, 
and coax her, and tell her how much better it would 
be for her to come to you ; and if she still would 
not come, I should tell her of my promise to you, 
and that she was making me break my word, which 
would be very wrong in her. I think she would 
come, Godmamma, but if she would not, — oh ! what 
should I do ? I should not like to break my word. 
Should I take her in my arms and carry her against 
her will ? 

Aunt. No, my love, you would have done all 
you could, and therefore could not be blamed, even 
though your little sister would not come with you ; 
but this will explain to you, my duty as your 
Sponsor. I took you to church when you were 
baptized, and made a solemn promise to God, that 
as you were then brought to Him, you should, as 
you grew up, love to walk in His ways, be a good 
boy, and afterwards become a good man. Is not 
this a very solemn promise, William? 

William. Yes, it is indeed ; and I see you are 



10 ON THE DUTIES 

bound to keep it, as much as I should be, in what 
I supposed about my little sister. But suppose, God- 
mamma, I was to be naughty, and grow up to be a 
wicked man ? (I hope I shall not) but suppose it 
should be so, what ivould you do? * I am sure you 
would be very unhappy, for I should be, if I had 
broken my promise, even against my will, and that 
in a little thing too ; but this would be a very great 
thing, Godmamma, for your promise was made to 
the great God, and in Church ! What would you do ? 

Aunt. I should be very unhappy ; but as I said, 
I must do my part. I must persuade, and beg you 
to hear what I would say. I must tell you often of 
my promise, and try to lead you to God ; and what 
is most of all, I must pray to God, to make you 
come to Him, for He can change the worst heart. 

William. Yes ; so my dear mamma tells me, 
and I believe it is true ; for I know God is very pow- 
erful, and can do great things. I saw a tree once 
which God killed by a stroke of lightning, and papa 
told me about the hurricanes in the West Indies, 
and all the houses and churches which were blown 
down : and I have read too, of a child who used to 
be very passionate and ill-tempered, who in a fit of 
sickness which God sent him, prayed to God, and 
asked Him to take away his naughty tempers ; and 



OF SPONSORS. 11 

God did, for he became quite a good boy; so I 
think the best plan will be to pray for me, God- 
mamma. 

Atjnt. And so I do, my dear, and you must 
pray for yourself as that httle boy did. But still, 
God will not think I have done my duty, if I do 
not do all in my power to bring you to Him. 

William. And I am sure you ought. So, dear 
Godmamma, I hope I shall always listen to what 
you say, and instead of feeling angry when you tell 
me of my faults, I will try to remember that you 
are only doing your duty, and keeping your promise 
to the great God. But you did not explain the 
word ^* Surety ^''^ the other name for Sponsor. I 
should like to know the meaning of it. 

Aunt. J1 Surety is one who undertakes and is 
bound to do a thing for an other. Suppose a man 
bought a field, and could not afford to pay the whole 
sum for it at once, he brings a friend with him to 
the person of whom he buys the field, who promises 
to see he shall pay the rest of the money in six 
months, or he will engage to pay it himself; this 
friend is called the bondsman or surety. 

The Surety at baptism is bound in a very solemn 
manner to see that the child shall be taught *' the 
Creed, the Lord's Prayer, and the Ten Command- 
ments," and if he is not, to teach them himself, and 



12 ON THE DUTIES 

to instruct him in all things which concern his 
salvation. 

William. Oh, dear Godmamraa, that is just 
what you are doing now; you are fulfilling your 
promise as a Surety about me. 

Aunt. Only a part of it, William ; the surety 
is also bound to bring the child at a fit age to be 
confirmed by the Bishop, when he will take upon 
himself, those things which the surety promises for 
him when he is too young to understand it himself. 

William. I am sure sponsors take a great deal 
of trouble about children who are not their own — 
why do not their parents do it all themselves ? 

Aunt. Your own dear parents, William, can 
teach you as well as I can, and they are always 
with you, and I am very seldom; but still they are 
glad of my help in bringing up their child, and are 
glad of my prayers for him. But many children 
are not so happy as you are, in having pious pa- 
rents who are able and willing to bring up their 
children as the church would wish them to do, I 
mean as Christian people who worship God accord- 
ing to our manner, would have them trained. Some 
children, alas ! have no parents at all ; in both these 
sad cases the sureties (if pious) may be of great use 
in bringing up these poor children in the fear and 
love of God. 



OF SPONSORS. 13 

William. I am sure my mamma is much obliged 
to any one who will teach me any thing ; and if you 
please, dear Godmamma, (I like that name best after 
all) I will go and tell her now, all you have told me, 
and what we are going to do next Sunday. 

Aunt. Good-bye, dear Willie, God bless you, 
and make you a good boy. 



SUNDAY EVENING II. 

ON god's first covenant with man. 

William. Here I am, dear Godmamma, and I 
have brought with me my little Bible, which you 
gave me, because mamma told me, she thought you 
would give me some texts to find out. I like look- 
ing for texts. 

Aunt. You know, William, that the Bible is 
God's own book, which He has given us, to teach 
us the truth, so that we must not depend on any 
thing as truth that is not to be found in the Bible. 
Read what St. Paul says to Timothy about his 
knowing the Bible in 2 Tim. iii. 15, 16. 

William. **And that from a child thou hast 
known the Holy Sciptures, which are able to make 
thee wise unto salvation, through faith which is in 
2 



14 OF god's first covenant 



Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration 
of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, 
for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that 
the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished 
unto all good works." 

Aunt. What a great thing it is to have God's 
word to which we may go, when we wish to know 
what is right ! I pray that you, my dear, like 
Timothy, may know the word of God from a child, 
and love it dearly. 

William. Will you please to tell me the mean- 
ing of ^^ Catechism?''^ It is a very hard word, I think. 

Aunt. It means a written form of teaching by 
question and answer. To catechise, is to teach by 
question and answer ; a catechist is a person who 
asks questions ; and catechumens are those of whom 
the questions are asked. That is a still harder word, 
is it not? but it is not often used. Now, my dear, 
can you tell me, why you only answer "^7//iam," 
wheti I ask you your name in the catechism? for 
when you are asked your name at any other time, 
you always reply William D'Alby. 

William. I think it is, because William was 
the name that was given me at church when I was 
christened, and so it is my Christian n2^me \ D'Alby 
is my surname, which means, (papa says,) father^ s 
name, for sir or sire is an old word for father. I 



1 



WITH MAN. 15 

had my sirname, yon know, before I was christened, 
D'Alby is also called my family name, because my 
papa's family are all called by that name. 

Aunt. You are right. The name of "^7/i am" 
was given you, to make you remember that you were 
belonging outwardly to Christ's family, and there- 
fore should act as if you were. Can you tell me 
any text, my dear, about bringing Children to Christ. 

William. Oh, yes, I can find it out in St. Mat- 
thew xix. 14. *'And Jesus said, Suffer little chil- 
dren, and forbid them not, to come unto me; for of 
such is the kingdom of heaven." And St. Mark 
says, "And he took them up in his arms, put his 
hands upon them, and blessed them." These chil- 
dren must have been very young, for Jesus to take 
them up in his arms ; quite little babies I think. 

Aunt. None are too young to come to Christ, 
and therefore when a month old, children are usually 
taken to church to be christened, and if ill and unable 
to go to church, they are allowed to be baptized at 
home. And now, my dear, in order to understand 
the Catechism, we may divide it into five parts, and 
talk of one part at a time. Each part will form 
several conversations. 

1. The Baptismal Covenant. 

2, The Creed, or Articles of a christian's 
faith. 



16 ON god's first covenant 

3. The Commandments. 

4. On Prayer. 

5. The Sacraments. 

We will speak first of '* the Covenant of Bap- 
tism." 

William. But what is a Covenant, God- 
mamma ? 

Aunt. I will try to explain it to you. "Covenant" 
means an agreement between two persons, in which 
something is promised by each to the other ; and in 
case the promise is broken on either side, the covenant 
no longer exists. You will understand what I mean 
by the true story I am going to tell you. You have 
seen a picture of Blenheim, near Oxford, the fine 
place which belongs to the Duke of Marlborough. 
That estate was given by Queen Anne, to a famous 
Duke of Marlborough, as a token of her favour, for 
the splendid victories he had gained for her. When 
she gave it him, this condition was made by her; that 
every year, on the anniversary of the battle of Blen- 
heim, (from which the place obtained its name) a man 
on horseback should bring a white and blue flag from 
Blenheim Park to Windsor Castle ; and if the Duke 
failed in his part of the agreement, her gift would 
cease, and the whole of Blenheim Estate was to be 
forfeited to the crown. 

William. I dare say how fast the man is obliged 



WITH MAN. 17 

to ride, for fear he should come too late. But I quite 
know now, what you mean by a covenant. It is not 
an unconditional promise to give. But in the case 
we are speaking about, it seems very little for the 
Duke to do in order to have so fine a place. 

Aunt. So, dear child, are God's dealings with 
us, he gives us great things, and requires but little of 
lis. Open your Bible, and read Gen. i. 16, 17. 
You will find the account of the covenant God made 
with Adam and Eve. 

William. **And the Lord God commanded the 
man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest 
freely eat, but of the tree of the knowledge of good 
and evil, thou shalt not eat of it ; for in the day thou 
eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die." 

Aunt. Now, my dear, what is the Lord's part 
in this covenant? 

William. That Adam and Eve should be happy 
in the beautiful garden, and God would love them, 
and they should eat of all the dehcious fruit which 
grew in the garden, except of one tree. 

Aunt. Right. Now what was man's part ? 

William. Only to obey God. 

Aunt. And what was to be the consequence if 
man disobeyed God? 

William. He was to forfeit his happiness, God's 
love, and the beautiful garden ; and he was to die. 
2* 



18 ON god's first covenant with man, 

Aunt. And mark, my clear ; his sin would bring 
not only the death of his body, but the eternal death 
of his soul. That is to say, when he died, his soul 
would go to the wicked Devil, who had tempted him, 
instead of going to God. 

William. Yes: and all this came upon him, for 
he did disobey God? and ate the forbidden fruit : and 
so the covenant was no longer of any use to him. 

Aunt. Not only useless to Azm, William, but to 
his children, and their children, and all who should 
ever be born into the world ; for all have ever since 
been " born in sin," I mean, they are born with a 
heart that loves to disobey God's laws. Sin is the 
transgression or breaking of God's laws, and eternal 
death is the punishment of sin. 

William. How unhappy Adam must have been, 
to have caused such sorrow to his children ! Yes, I 
know the youngest children are sinful; for they are 
often cross, and angry, and quarrelsome. Papa 
showed me these verses in the Bible, Godmamma. 
I will read them to you if you please. 

Aunt. Do, my dear, and next Sunday, (if it please 
God,) we will talk about the New Covenant, 

William, [reads) Pro v. xxii. 15. Gen. viii. 21. 
Psalm xiv. 2, 3. Then I am to hear about the New 
Covenant next Sunday. I wonder God would have 
any thing more to say to such wicked sinners. 



ON THE NEW COVENANT. 19 



SUNDAY EVENING III. 

ON THE NEW COVENANT, 

Aunt. We are to talk this evening, William, 
about a new covenant, which God made with Adam 
and his children, who for their sins deserved eternal 
death, and that the great God should care no more 
about them. Do you remember, my dear, any token 
which God showed of love for man, while He was 
cursing the serpent ? 

William. Oh yes, he told the serpent that some 
day, some person, " who should be born of a wo- 
man," should " bruise its head," and Papa told me 
that person was Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who 
was born of the Virgin Mary, and died on the cross 
for sinners. 

Aunt. True, my dear, but how did that bruise 
the serpent's head ? 

William. Papa said, the life of the animal was 
in its head, and if its head were crushed, it would 
have no power to hurt me ; but I cannot explain 
the rest, will you tell me ? 

Aunt. The wicked Devil is the serpent, and as 
all sin came by him, so he may properly be called 
the head of sin, its chief and beginning : by him 



20 ON THE NEW COVENANT. 

also came death, for death is the consequence of 
sin. Now Jesus Christ destroys the power of 5in, 
because he is stronger than the Devil, and his blood 
can wash all sin away : he also destroys the power 
of death, because he makes it the gate to heaven, 
instead of the gate to hell, which Satan meant it to 
be. Satan thought if he brought sin into the world, 
he should be able to take all men with him to that 
dreadful place, because " death cometh by sin," and 
"he that sinneth shall surely die " eternally. But 
Jesus, the Son of God, seeing what Satan wanted, 
and knowing that after Eve's and Adam's sin, 
nothing else could save man from being his prey, 
offered to become the mediator between God and 
man. 

William. What is a " Mediator," Godmamma ? 

Aunt. Suppose that two persons were standing 
at a distance from each other, quite out of each other's 
reach; and then suppose a third person were to 
stand just in the middle between them, and were to 
give one hand to each, the two persons who before 
were separated, would be united, and brought close 
as it were, by the third person, would they not ? 

William. Oh yes, and is the third person to 
represent Jesus Christ, and the two others to repre- 
sent God and man, who had been separated by the 
wicked Devil ? That seems to me very plain. 



ON THE NEW COVENANT. 21 

Aunt. Yes, for we are " brought nigh by the 
blood of Jesus," A new agreement was then made 
between God and smners, who could not have dared 
to approach their offended God, but through Jesus 
Christ. 

William. It seems very likely that God would 
listen to his Son, whom he loved so dearly. 

Aunt. Yes, and it is when Jesus is entreating 
his Father for us, that he is called our intercessor. 

William. Please to explain that word to me, 
dear Aunt. 

Aunt. Suppose, William, you had been very 
naughty, and had made your parents very angry, 
and they had sent you out of the parlor in disgrace ; 
and then suppose that your little sister Harriet, hear- 
ing you cry very much, were to run to your parents, 
and beg them to forgive you, and admit you to their 
presence again, she would be interceding for you. 

William. Yes, I understand now, and I remem- 
ber a very pretty story in the Bible (Numbers xvi. 
41 — 50.) where I read that when the IsraeHtes re- 
belled, and God had sent a plague to destroy them ; 
Aaron stood between the guilty people and their 
offended God, and prayed Him to forgive them, and 
the plague ceased. 

Aunt. Aaron was then a mediator between God 
and man, but Jesus Christ was more than this : for 



22 ON THE NEW COVENANT. 

Aaron only begged for their bodily life, while Christ 
entreats God to save men's souls from eternal death. 
Tell me, dear, what does your favorite hymn say 
about Jesus, as the Saviour of sinners 1 
William, (repeats) 

" He knew how wicked men had been 
And knew that God mustj^xmi^ sin ; 
So out of pity Jesus said 
He'd bear the punishment instead." 

Mamma told me that God was very just as well as 
merciful, and it would not be justice to let sinners 
go without punishment, — unless some person would 
offer to die instead of them, who had never com- 
mitted any sin. Jesus Christ therefore offered to 
come down and die, that sinful men might be saved 
from eternal death ; and his Father w^ho is in heaven, 
was so very good as to let His only Son come down 
to die for our sakes, so that " whosoever believeth 
in him may have eternal life." 

Aunt. Dear child ! may your heavenly Father 
ever keep these blessed truths in your mind ! This, 
then, is the New Covenant which God made with 
man, in Christ Jesus our Lord. Now tell me what 
God promises in it ? 

William. That our sins shall be forgiven us, and 
we shall go to heaven when we die. 



ON THE NEW COVENANT. 23 

Aunt. Right; now open to Acts xvi. 31, and 
you may read what our part of the new covenant 
is, in the answer which Paul and Silas gave to the 
poor jailer, who m an agony of mind asked them, 
" What must I do to be saved ? " 

William. " And they said, Believe on the Lord 
Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." That does 
not seem a hard task, we ought gladly to believe on 
Him, if we wish to go to heaven. 

Aunt. True, my dear; the condition which 
Christ requires is easy ; the covenant therefore is 
called, Rom. viii. 1, "the covenant of grace^'* or 
favour. But j^ou will find that (being born in sin) 
you cannot believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, unless 
God teaches you to do so. We shall talk of this 
some future day. I must now tell you, William, it 
was in this -belief that your parents, in obedience to 
Christ's commands, brought you to be baptized ; it 
was in this belief that I, and others answered for 
you : and we pray, that in this belief you may ever 
be kept. 

W^iLLiAM. Please to tell me, where Christ com- 
manded us to be baptized, and I will mark it on my 
Bible. 

Aunt. Besides Matt. xix. 14, which you know, 
the following refers more plainly to Baptism^ as the 
proper means of being admitted into this New 



24 ON THE NEW COVENANT. 



Covenajit with God: Matt, xxviii. 19, where we 
have our Lord's commands about it, to his Apostles ; 
read also Acts ii. 38, 39. Persons therefore who 
neglect baptism either for themselves or their chil- 
dren, have not considered its importance as a scrip- 
tural command, nor all the benefits to be gained from 
it. But it would be making a mock of God's holy 
ordinance if we did not understand it, therefore next 
Sunday we will talk together about what was pro- 
mised in the baptismal covenant, and try by God's 
help, to know what is needful concerning it. 



SUNDAY EVENING IV. 

god's promise IN THE COVENANT OF BAPTISM. 

William. I am glad we are going to talk about 
the catechism to-night : for when I said it to mamma, 
I was thinking of so many questions I should like to 
ask, and I am afraid I shall forget them. 

Aunt. Well then, my dear, repeat the answer 
to the question — ' Who gave you your name V and 
then tell me the first thing you want to know. 
. William. *' My Godfathers and Godmothers, in 
my baptism, wherein I was made a member of 
Christ, a child of God, and an inheritor of the king- 



god's promise, etc. 25 

dom of heaven." Now I want first to know, how 
we are made all these things in baptism ? 

Aunt. Why the great God promises to do it for 
us ; this is his part of the covenant you know. 
Last Sunday you told me that the pardon of our 
sins, and the promise of going to heaven when we 
die, was God^s covenant promise with man. Here 
the words only are a little altered, and it is more 
particularly explained. 

William. There are three things named ; First, 
a member of Christ, Second, a child of God, Third, 
and an inheritor of the kingdom of heaven. I 
cannot think what the first means. 

Aunt. If you attend, I will try to make it plain 
to you. The word member means something which 
belongs to another thing, and is joined so closely to 
it, that it forms a part of it. Your body is formed 
of many parts, which united, make a whole, each 
separate part is called a member, the whole united 
the body. For instance, your arm and your leg 
are not your body, but they belong so closely to it, 
and are so needful to it, that they form a part of it, 
and if one member is hurt, the whole body feels the 
injury. 

William. Yes, indeed it does ; for when I cut 
my finger very badly, my whole body seemed to be 
in pain, and my head ached to. 
3 



26 god's promise 

Aunt. So you read, 1 Cor. xiii. 26. " Whe- 
ther one member suffer, all the members suffer with 
it." Now the body which the Scriptures speak of, 
means the church, Christ is its head^ and all true 
believers in Christ are the members of His body. 
Read Eph. v. 23. You must not think, my dear, 
that the church when mentioned in the Bible, means 
a building, such as your Papa preaches in ; but it 
means the whole number of true Christians who 
have ever lived in the world, or are now living in it, 
or shall Hve in it hereafier to the end of the world. 
Each one of these persons is a member of, or be- 
longing to, Christ's true church, which he calls his 
body, and therefore a member of himself, as the 
Catechism says, read Eph. i. 22. Christ, the head, 
is gone to heaven, and those members of his body 
who have died, are gone there too, and are joined to 
him there already. When all the rest of his body 
is there, (that is, when all true Christians have 
reached heaven,) they will form a perfect body " with- 
out spot or blemish, or any such thing." 

William. That means ivithout siiiy does it not ? 
Little children ought to consider it a great honour to 
be called a part of Christ's body. Then, part of 
Christ's body is in heaven, and part on earth. I 
know some persons who belonged to Christ on earth, 
who are now in heaven. Mv dear Uncle, and Aunt, 



IN THE COVENANT OF BAPTISM. 27 

and Grandmamma, and I know a great many per- 
sons who are members of Christ on earth, my Papa 
and Mamma, and you dear Godmamma, because I 
know you love God. 

Aunt. Another way of explaining the being a 
member of Christ, our Lord gives us himself, John 
XV. 1 — 8, under the description of a vine and its 
branches. Christ says to his disciples, " I am the 
true vine, ye are the branches," — read it. 

William, {reads) I am sure the branches could 
not live without the vine, for I saw the gardener 
pruning our vine one day, and as soon as the 
branches were cut off from the vine, the leaves 
faded. 

Aunt. So you see except we are joined to 
Christ, we cannnot be real Christians. But you 
have sometimes seen a dead branch still on the vine : 
do you think that belongs to it ? 

William. No, Aunt, for Papa says it is the sap 
which comes up to the trunk of the tree, that keeps 
the branches alive, so I suppose the tree does not 
feed a dead bough. 

Aunt. True, it is useless to the tree, and the 
tree to it, and no more really belongs to it, than the 
branches which you saw cut off; it is only fit to be 
burned. But, my dear, do you know there are 
many children, and many grown persons who have 



28 god's promise 

been baptized, and therefore outwardly belong to 
Christ, who are no more really His, than the dead 
branch belongs to the vine ? Unless they are living 
members, they are no members at all. I mean to 
say, that if they do not do the things which Christ 
did, and follow his commandments, they are none of 
his. 1 John iii. 24. The same may be said of 
those branches, which, though they appear to be 
alive, yet do not bear any thing but leaves. Such 
are those who make a profession of belonging to 
Christ, and of being living branches — but it is all 
outward show ; they do not bring forth fruit in their 
liearts, but deceive themselves and others. 

William. Oh dear Godmamma, I hope I shall 
not be so useless and ugly a thing, as a dead bough, 
or bear only leaves, for I remember our Lord cursed 
the fig-tree which had only leaves and no fruit, and 
it was dried up to the roots ; and Mamma told me 
that Christ meant it as a lesson to those who talk a 
great deal and do nothing. Now I wish to know 
something about being made "a child of God,^^ for 
I cannot think how that can be explained. Jesus 
Christ is the only Son of God you know. How 
can we be his children, then ? 

Aunt. My dear Willie, you are the child of 
your dear parents, their first born son, and your 
sisters are also their own children, but Mr. and Mrs. 



IN THE COVENANT OF BAPTISM. 29 

Walker have a little boy and girl whose parents died 
in India, and whom they have kindly taken as their 
own, and they love them just as if they were. This 
is called adopting children, and thus the Lord has 
adopted us ; taking us into his family and by bap- 
tism assuring us of his love, and if we are good 
children, Jesus Christ calls us his brethren. 

William. When I say again in my prayer " our 
Father, which art in heaven," I hope I shall remem- 
ber what you have told me, and love Jesus very 
much, for making me a child of God, and love my 
heavenly Father too, for a child ought to love his 
father and fear to offend him. It is so very good of 
God to adopt such a naughty little boy as I am, for 
I have often disobeyed him, and so good of Jesus 
Christ to own me as his brother and bring me to 
God. 

Aunt. What is the third promise which God 
has made at your baptism ? 

William. " That I should be an inheritor of the 
kingdom of heaven." What is an inheritor? I 
do not understand this at all. 

Aunt. An inheritor, is one who gains any pro- 
perty by the death of another person. It is the same 
as an heir. Children are, by right, the heirs of 
their parents, that is to say when the father and 
mother are dead, their money and land and other 



30 god's promise, etc. 

earthly possessions belong to their children. Some 
inheritors are not relations. Old Mr. Wells who 
died last week, left his house and money and beauti- 
ful garden, to the child of his friend, to whom 
they now belong. Mr. Wells, before he died, wrote 
down in the presence of witnesses that he wished 
Mr. Charles Sidney to be his heir. This is called 
leaving property by will. 

William. I understand now about inheritors. 
Aunt ; but what has that to do with us and God, 
and the kingdom of Heaven ! 

Aunt. Is not heaven, William, the best and hap- 
piest of all possessions, and one which we should 
all be anxious to obtain ? All earthly property is 
worthless in comparison, for it must soon go from 
us, or we from it ; but heaven, if we get it, will be 
ours for ever. Now the only way we can obtain it, 
is by Jesus Christ's death. He left it us as a 
legacy, (Heb. ix. 15 — 17.) 



man's promise at baptism. 31 



SUNDAY EVENING Y. 

man's promise at baptism. 

Aunt. We are to talk this evening, my love, 
about the solemn promise which a person makes to 
God when he is baptized, or which when baptized 
as an infant, his sponsors make for him. It is called 
a vow^ because it is solemnly made to God. Repeat 
to me that Vhich your godfathers and godmothers 
then promised for you. 

William. " They did promise and vow three 
things in my name ; first, that I should renounce 
the devil and all his works, the pomps and vanities 
of this wicked world, and all the sinful lusts of the 
flesh. What does renounce mean, godmamma? 

Aunt. So entirely to give np these things, as to 
have no more to do with them. Suppose you had 
made a friend of a little boy whom your papa thought 
was not a fit companion for you, one who would 
teach you to disobey your parents, and set you a bad 
example, and tempt you to do wrong, your father 
w^ould require you to give him up, so as not to talk to 
him, or listen to his advice, or follow his example, 
would he not ? Well, just in the same way, God 
requires you to give up the ways, and the works, and 



32 man's promise at baptism. 

the advice of the devil. Can you tell me what the 
devil's works are ? 

William. Sin of all kinds, which the Devil 
brought into the world, I think. 

Aunt. True ; and 1 John iii. 8. Avill prove it. 
But the sins which we find from the Bible the Devil 
chiefly practises himself, are pride, malice, envy, re- 
venge, and lying. 

William. Those are very shocking sins, god- 
mamma, do you think I ever commit them ? 

Aunt. Examine yourself, William, iJiink a little, 
and tell me if you recollect doing so ! 

William. Oh, I am afraid I am guilty of the 
first, mamma told me the other day it was pride 
which made me not like to be told of my faults ; for 
I almost always feel very much vexed when I am 
told not to fidget at my lessons, or to take care of my 
books, and it is not because I am sorry for doing 
wrong. And then I was envious, because my cou- 
sin had a larger garden than I have. Dear godmam- 
ma, I have indeed broken the promise you have 
made for me, and have committed the Devil's work. 

Aunt. Yes ; and I fear we shall find you have 
broken it in other ways. Let us see ; you promise 
to renounce the pomps and vanities of this wicked 
world," that is, caring more about those things which 
belong to the body than to the soul, (Col. iii. 1, 2.) 



man's promise at baptism. 33 

loving very much riches, splendour, fine clothes, 
houses, furniture, carriages, (fee. 

William. I do not think I care very much about 
such things, godmamma, though 1 know that I think 
more about the happiness of my body than I do 
about that of my soul. 

Aunt. You will find stronger temptations to these 
sins as you grow older, for under the name of 
"pomps and vanities" are included all sorts of sinful 
or trifling amusements, both public and private, that 
lead to the love of the world, or encourage pride, 
vanity, envy, deceit, or any of the Devil's works. 
Now you are a little boy, your parents can keep you 
from these things, but when you become a man, you 
will be greatly tempted. 

William. I hope it will please God to keep my 
parents alive after I am a man, for then I can ask 
them what is right. 

Aunt. Remember, my dear, you have a teacher 
and Father in heaven, and his blessed book to study, 
which is far better than earthly teachers. 

William. What are the sinful lusts of the flesh, 
Aunt? 

Aunt. All sinful desires or wishes, and the satis- 
fying of them when they arise within us ; the Apostle 
tells us they ** war against the soul." 1 Peter, ii. 11. 
There is one sinful lust which children are very apt 



34 man's promise at baptism. 

to indulge in, and which is often the beginning of 
many others which do not show themselves until 
many years after. This is greediness ; the liking 
to eat nice things, and thinking about them ; choosing 
the largest and most tempting cake or apple which 
may be in the dish. This sin leads to stealing, for 
a child who is greedy, will I fear take those things 
he wishes for without leave ; it also tempts him to 
tell a lie to hide his fault ; it makes him selfish, and 
not disposed to be kind to others. So you see my 
dear to what one sin leads, and how much you should 
strive against the least greediness, or you may become 
a thief, a liar, and selfish, and as you grow up, these 
sins would strengthen and increase, so that we know 
not where they might stop, and certainly all right to 
being a child of God would be forfeited. 

William. I never should have thought that car- 
ing about an apple, could have led to so much 
wickedness. But, oh ! godmamma, I remember that 
it was the very thing that made Eve sin. She thought 
the forbidden fruit looked so nice, and then ate it ; so 
that it was by her greediness that every sort of sin 
came into the world. 

Aunt, All sins are so connected together, that 
one leads to another. Eve little thought, wjien en- 
joying her apple, that in the course of years the 
whole world would be destroyed by a flood, because 



man's promise at baptism. 35 

" God saw that the wickedness of man was great 
upon the earth, and that every imagination of the 
thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." 
Gen. vi. 5. Greediness is one of the works of the 
Devil, and therefore we should not be surprised if it 
does so much mischief. 

William. The second thing promised is, that we 
will believe all the articles of the Christian faith. 

Aunt. What is it to believe^ my dear ? 

William. To feel quite certain that any thing is 
true, is it not ? 

Aunt. Yes, Willie ; then we promise to feel quite 
certain that the Articles of the Christian faith are 
true. 

William. But tell me what you mean by arti- 
cles? 

Aunt. The word articles means all the various 
particulars required for us to believe collected to- 
gether. Have you never seen in John Taylor's cot- 
tage a printed paper, which is framed, and hung 
against the wall ? At the top, in large letters, is put 
''Articles of the Friendly Society," and then follow 
the different rules which the members of that Society 
are obliged to keep. If they want a friend to become 
a member, they may show him all the rules together ; 
and if they want to know any rule in particular, they 
can find it directly. 



36 man's promise at baptism. 

William. So then the Articles of our faith are put 
together that we may tell them to others. 

Aunt. Partly so. There are people I am sorry 
to say who are not Christians ; and when any good 
person wishes to convince them of the error of their 
way, it is very convenient to have these rules of faith 
extracted from the Bible, and placed in order ; but it 
is chiefly for our own good, that we may examine 
ourselves by them, learn them by heart, and always 
keep in mind in whom we are to believe, as well as 
" render to every man a reason for the hope that is in 
us." 1 Pet. iii. 15. The Scripture tells us that 
" with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." 
Eom. X. 10. Wherefore in pubhc worship we are 
directed to stand up and repeat aloud before all the 
congregation, " the Creerf," which is another word 
for belief. 

William. And that shows we are not ashamed of 
our belief. I know a text, which says, " He that is 
ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son 
of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of 
his Father, with the holy angels." Papa preached 
on that last Sunday. 

The third thing we promise to do, is to " keep 
God's holy will and commandments, and walk in the 
same all the days of our life. The commandments, 
as well as the articles of our faith, are all put together 



man's promise at baptism. 37 

further on in the catechism, — but does God's holy 
will mean the same as "commandments," Aunt? 

Aunt. My dear, the holy will of God means all 
he teaches us in the holy Scriptures ; though, when 
we come to examine the commandments, I think we 
shall find them only an abridgment as it were of all the 
Bible requires of us. You know what an abridgment 
is, William ? 

William. It means putting any account in fewer 
words, does it not? 

Aunt. Yes, my dear. 

William. Why are we made to say, we will 
walk in the commandments ? 

Aunt. In the Scripture, the keeping of God's 
commandments is spoken of as ^path or way wherein 
we are to walk ; meaning that we are to act, as you 
would do, William, if you were walking on a very 
narrow path, with water on one side and a deep pit 
on the other. What should you do ? 

William. I should be afraid of making a false 
step, and therefore should look to my feet to see that 
I did not stumble ; and straight before me, that I 
might see where I was going, (as I do when cross- 
ing the plank over the brook,) but not on either side 
of me, lest I should fall into the water or into the pit. 

Aunt. Read these texts of Scripture, and then 
you will clearly see the truth and beauty of the ex- 
4 



38 man's prOxAiise at baptism. 

pression, " U'a/A: in God's holy will and command- 
ments." Josh, xxiii. 6. 2 Kings xxii. 2. Jer. xxxi. 
9. You see by the catechism, you are required to 
walk in God's commandments all the days of your 
life, never to wander into other paths, but to go straight 
forwards *' looking unto Jesus," (Heb. xii. 2.) who 
says, **I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life." 
John xiv. 6. 

William. If every body looked at Christ I sup- 
pose they could not stumble, because he says, " I am 
the light of the world," John viii. 12. and ''He that 
w^alketh in the day, stumblelh not." John xi. 9. 

Aunt. Christ is the only person that can keep 
us from falling. (Jude 24.) But we will now pro- 
ceed. **Do you think you are bound to believe and 
to do as they have promised for you ?" That is to 
say, " Do you consider yourself obliged to do those 
things w^hich your sponsors promised for you ?" 

William. *' Yes verily, and by God's help so I 
will. I heartily thank our heavenly Father, that he 
hath called me to this state of salvation, through Jesus 
Christ our Saviour. And I pray unto God to give 
me his grace, that I may continue in the same unto 
my life's end." Why is *' verily," put after " yes" ? 

Aunt. To make your determination stronger. It 
means "in truth" — ''indeed" — "there is no doubt 
of it." But you see, my dear, by what follows, that 



man's promise at baptism. 39 

however you may be convinced it is your duty to do 
these things, you will be unable to do it, unless by 
God's help. We cannot forsake the world and its 
vain pleasures, or believe with a lively faith, or keep 
any of the Lord's commandments by ourselves. 
2 Cor. iii. 5. 

William. Oh no, Godmamma, because our nature 
is wicked you know; but when God has changed 
our naughty hearts we can. 

Aunt. Yes, my dear, because God then '* work- 
eth in us and with us by His Holy Spirit," (Phil. ii. 
13.) who dwells in our new hearts, and teaches them 
what is right. 

William. What does the Catechism mean by 
*^ a state of salvation" ? 

Aunt. Having been put in the way of being 
saved, — being made in Baptism a member of Christ, 
a child of God, and an inheritor of the kingdom of 
heaven ; being enabled by God's Spirit to renounce 
the world and sin, to believe in Christ, and to show 
our faith by keeping his commandments. Those 
persons who are baptized have a free offer of these 
blessings. It is as if I were to open the gate of a 
beautiful flower garden and say, '*Run into it, Wil- 
ham, and take possession ; all these things are yours 
if you think them worth having : I have bought them 
for you." Jesus Christ has bought for you, those 



40 man's promise at baptism. 

baptismal blessings, and they will never be taken 
from you, unless you despise and neglect them. But 
as it is only by God's grace or favor, that you can 
have them, (for you do not deserve diem) so, it is 
only by God's grace or favour, that you can continue 
to value them, or remain in the same state of salva- 
tion. 

William. Yes ; I think I know what you mean. 
If you were to give me the beautiful flower-garden, / 
might refuse to have it, or I might get tired of it, 
and leave off taking care of it, and then you would 
take it from me. 

Aunt. Just so it is with your spiritual blessings. 
Many who have had them offered to them, as you 
have, William, when old enough to value them, turn 
away from them, love the world better than heaven ; 
love their sins better than their Saviour, and cannot 
bear to be " holy as he is holy." 



PART II. 

ON THE CREED. 



THE APOSTLE'S CREED. 

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven 
and earth ; and in Jesus Christ his only Son, our Lord, who 
was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, 
suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried* 
He descended into hell ; the third day he arose again from 
the dead ; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right 
hand of God, the Father Almighty, From thence he shall 
come to judge the quick and the dead, I believe in the Holy 
Ghost; the Holy Catholic Church,- the Communion of 
Saints ; the forgiveness of sins ; the resurrection of the body^ 
and the life everlasting. Amen. 

SUNDAY EVENING VI. 
DIVISION L 

William. What is the Apostles Creed? 

Aunt. A statement of what they believed, and 
which has always been used in the Ciiristian Church 
from an early period. 

William. How must I believe it? 

Aunt. There are two different ways of believing, 

William — believing with the head or understanding 

merely, and believing with the heart. 
4* 



42 GOD THE FATHER. 

William. Do try to explain to me the difTerence. 

Aunt. I will if you will attend. Suppose that 
on looking into the newspaper I see the accounts of 
the deaths of two persons, printed one beneath the 
other. As I glance at the^rs^, I see it is a name I 
do not know, of a person I have never even heard 
of; and though I feel quite sure he is dead from the 
particulars mentioned, I do not feel any sorrow on 
his account. Perhaps the thought might pass my 
mind, '* I dare say many grieve for his loss, though 
I cannot, and without laying down the paper, my 
eye rests on the second name. I see with surprise 
and anxiety, that it is that of a very dear friend — his 
christian name ; his sirname ; his abode ; the same 
age as his ; I can have no doubt upon the subject. 
I do not believe so quickly as in the former case — I 
do not take it at first for granted ; but I weigh every 
particular, and when at last I am fully convinced, I 
burst into tears, and give way to the most heartfelt 
sorrow. I arouse myself from this to see if I can be 
of any use to the family of my deceased friend ; I 
write a letter to offer my services, and am ready to 
go any distance to serve them, without considering 
the inconvenience to myself. If I find any directions 
have been left me, in my friend's Will, I am ready 
to obey them at all risks, to prove my love to him. 
Now William, you see these two beliefs would cause 



GOD THE FATHER. 43 

me to act very differently ; the first I believed with 
cold indifTerence, but the last came so fully home to 
my own heart, that it made a lasting impression on 
it. Thus, a person may believe there is a God, be- 
cause he sees no reason to doubt it ; but it is a question 
which does not interest him, and therefore has no 
effect on his feelings or conduct. He may believe 
that Jesus Christ is the Saviour of sinners, but either 
he will not think himself a sinner, or he does not 
know Jesus as his Saviour, as his friend, and there- 
fore, both his life and death are indifferent to him. 
Read Lam. i. 12, there the Lord Jesus by his prophet 
reproaches men for their indifference to him. 

William. Thank you, dear Aunt, you have 
made it very plain; the true believer is the same as 
the living branch of the vine, or the member of 
Christ's body — he would be interested in all the 
Bible says of Jesus, because he loves him, (as you 
would love your friend,) and he would take pleasure 
in doing his will in all things. 

Aunt. We will now proceed to consider the 
Apostle's Creed, which may be divided into four 
great parts or divisions. 1st. relates to God the 
Father — 2nd. to God the Son — 3rd. to God the 
Holy Ghost ; and the 4th relates to the Church and 
its privileges. These four parts are again subdivided 
into twelve Articles, all taken from the Scriptures, 



44 GOD THE FATHER. 

and these you know are so placed in the Broken 
Catechism ; but it would not be convenient in our 
conversations, to confine ourselves to only one article 
each time, as we shall have more to say about some, 
than about others. We will proceed now to consider 
the first part of the Apostle's Creed. 

God the Father i " Almighty, Maker of Heaven and Earths 

My dear child, can you tell me who God is ? 

William. I learnt in Dr. Watts' Catechism, 
" God is a Spirit, and though we cannot see Him, 
yet He sees and knows all things, and He can do 
all things." 

Aunt. The attributes or qualities of God cannot 
be expressed in easier words. A spirit cannot be 
seen, because it has no body, and therefore is invisi- 
ble ; yet He sees all things, sees every thing we are 
doing at all times, in the dark, as well as in the light; 
and what seems still more wonderful. He can see 
every thing in heaven, and on earth, at the same mo- 
ment, in the sun and moon and stars, and all the 
planets at once. 

William. It is indeed very wonderful. Why I 
cannot see my Bible and your face at the same time, 
though it is on the table, and you are sitting close by ; 
and if it was dark, I am sure you could not see what 
I was about — it is only God who can be a//-seeing. 



GOD THE FATHER. 45 

Aunt. Besides this, God is omnipresent ; that is, 
present in every place at the same time. If He 
were not, it would be in vain for His creatures to ask 
Him to take care of them. 

William. Yes, I understand why ; for while 
attending to our wants. He would not be able to 
attend to the wants of others who needed His care 
al the same time. 

Aunt. It is indeed a comforting thought, but a very 
awful one too ; for, as we see that God could not 
take care of us, and see our wants, and hear our 
prayers, if he was not all-seeing and omnipresent ; 
so we must also remember, that he sees all we do, 
and nothing is hid from Him. You would try to be 
good if I were present, but how much rather when 
the great God is always near you ? You said be- 
sides, that " God knows all things." That is called 
his omniscience, from two Latin words which mean 
" knowledge of every thing." 

William. How wonderful God's knowledge 
must be ! 

Aunt. We think a person very clever, who un- 
derstands one or two things tolerably well. The 
Duke of Wellington is very clever as a great Gene- 
ral, and a Statesman; and Sir Isaac Newton had 
much knowledge of the heavenly bodies; and the 
persons who planned and built Salisbury Cathedral 



1. 



46 GOD THE FATHER. 

were very clever as architects and builders ; but what 
are these, when compared with the knowledge of Him, 
who made the earth, and every thing belonging to if, 
^vho hung the earth, and all the planets in space, and 
who preserves them in their various courses ? Be- 
sides, God knows the inmost secrets and thoughts of 
our hearts, and our reasons and motives for acting as 
we do. Should we not therefore say with David, 
'* Cleanse thou me, Lord, from my secret faults ?" 
salm xix. 20. 

William. How ignorant the cleverest man must 
seem in the sight of God ! He can also *' do all 
thing s,^^ that is what the word Almighty means, is 
it not? 

Aunt. Yes, my dear, and it is also expressed by 
the w^ord omnipotent, or all-powerful. There is 
nothing too great for God to do. What do you think, 
William, the greatest thing which you know, of 
God's doing? 

William. The great hurricanes in the West 
Indies, and earthquakes like that at Lisbon, and the 
volcanoes, Godmamma ; but these are only what I 
have read of. I think the most wonderful thing I 
ever saw, was the sea with its great waves coming 
roaring up the shore, and then they never go higher 
than a certain mark, and return back again. 

Aunt, Only Almighty power could keep the 



GOD THE FATHER. 47 

waves in obedience ; and it is indeed beautiful, and 
wonderful, to watch them under the control of Om- 
nipotence ; but God has done greater things than 
these, although it is one of the most astonishing 
proofs of his creating power. I will read to you Job 
xxxviii. 8 — 11, 

William. Thank you, dear Aunt. Let me now 
guess again ; perhaps you mean some of the miracles 
which He performed by His prophets ? or those 
which the Lord Jesus performed while on earth ? in- 
creasing the oil in the widow's cruse? — or raising 
her son to life ? — or bringing Lazarus to life, after he 
had been buried four days ? 

Aunt. None but God could do such wonderful 
things, my dear, either by the hands of His prophets, 
or immediately by Himself; but is there nothing 
which God alone does, without giving the same 
power to any human being ? 

William. Do you mean, Aunt, changing our 
naughty hearts ? or saving us from our sins ? 

Aunt. Both the one and the other, my dear boy. 
If the Lord takes away our heart of stone, and gives 
us a new heart— a " heart of flesh,'* (Ezek. ii. 19) 
it is a greater miracle than raising even a dead body 
to life ; and " that God indeed should dwell on the 
earth;" (2 Chron. vi. 18) take upon Him our nature, 
and become obedient unto death, even the death of 



48 GOD THE FATHER. 

the cross, (Phil. ii. 8) is what angels desire to look 
into," (1 Pet. i. 12,) and will form the subject of per- 
petual wonder and praise throughout eternity. Rev. 
V. 9—14. 

William. I know now, why Jllrnighty is so 
often put to the name of God at the beginning of 
the Collects and prayers, to remind us of all the great 
things He has done, and is ready to do for us. 

Aunt. We should have reason to dread the 
power of the Great God, my dear boy, were it not 
for the kind word which comes before " Almighty" 
in the Creed, and which removes a part of our fears. 

William. You mean ^^ Father ^ Yes, that is 
a dear word, Godmamma ; and I know who has 
told us to call God "Father:" it w^as His own dear 
Son, who taught us when we pray, to say "Our Fa- 
ther who art in heaven." And you told me one day, 
that by saying " our Father," Jesus Christ owned 
us as his brethren, and that we had no right to call 
God *' our Father," except by means of His Son. 

Aunt. Look now at the first verse in the Bible, 
William, and you will see, that God created the hea- 
ven and the earth. 

William. I will ask mamma to let me read the 
whole chapter to her by and bye. Please to tell me 
the difference between making any thing and creat- 
ing it. 



GOD THE FATHER. 49 

Aunt. Creation is generally used to express that 
which is made by God, as it signifies making things 
out of nothing. When a man makes any thing, he 
must have materials — a table or house could not be 
made without wood and stone, and tools ; while those 
trees from which the wood is cut, and the rocks from 
which the stone was dug, were created by the word 
of God. '' He spake, and it was done ; He com- 
manded, and it stood fast." Psalm xxxiii. 9. You 
remember the way in which God began the work of 
Creation. 

William. ** And God said. Let there be light, 
and there was light." Gen. i. 3. 

Aunt. Nothing can explain the power of God in 
creation, more than those few words. We will wait 
until next Sunday to talk about the second division of 
the Creed. 



SUNDAY EVENING VIL 
DIVISION 11. 

GOD THE SON. 

" In Jesus Christ, His only Son our Lord, luho was con- 
ceived by the Holy Ghost, horn of the Virgin Mary, suffered 
under Pontius Pilate, was crucified^'* 

Aunt. My dear Willie has not now to be taught 
who the Lord Jesus Christ is, for, thanks to God, 
who has given him such parents, he has learnt much 
about his soul, and the Holy Scriptures, of which 
many children know nothing. 

William. Yes, dear Aunt, I have often been told 
about Jesus. Before I knew anything else, papa and 
mamma, used to tell me such beautiful stories about 
his being born in Bethlehem, and about the Shepherds 
who were watching their flocks by night, and who 
saw a bright light shining around them, and a multi- 
tude of beautiful angels who sang so sweetly, and 
who were sent by God on purpose to tell the poor 
shepherds that His Son the great Messiah, who was 
promised in the Old Testament, was born at the 
nearest town ; and they were told, that they should 
not find him in a grand house, or lying in a beautiful 



GOD THE SON. 51 

cradle, or dressed in fine clothes, as the child of a 
great queen ; but sleeping in the manger of a stable, 
and wrapped in swaddling clothes, that is, bound 
round and round with bands, mamma says, which 
is the way the poor babies in the East are dressed. 
His mother was a poor young woman of Nazareth, 
a small town of Galilee, and her name was Mary. 

Aunt. Yes, my dear, and the Bible tells us the 
angel of God named Gabriel, came to her house and 
told her, that she should have a son, who was to be 
the Messiah, and that his name should be called Jesus, 
and " he should be called the Son of the Highest." 
Luke i. 31, 32 ; and when Mary could scarcely be- 
lieve for joy, that such an honour was intended her, 
the angel said to her, " the Holy Ghost shall come 
upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall over- 
shadow thee ; therefore also that holy thing which 
shall be born of thee, shall be called the Son of 
God." Luke i. 35. 

William. And Mary then believed; for she 
said, " Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it unto 
me according to thy word." I dare say she was 
very happy to be the mother of Jesus. 

Aunt. Doubtless she was ; but she still remained 
humble and lowly, as she was before, owning Jesus 
as her Lorcl^ more than as her Son ; for she attended 
to what he said at all times. Some persons called 



62 GOD THE SON. 

Papists, or Roman Catholics, are taught to worship 
and pray to the Virgin Mary, but any one who reads 
his bible must see, that our Lord never considered her 
as raised above other women. 

William. Yes ; I remember how he spoke to 
her at the marriage of Cana, in Galilee. Mamma 
told me, that *' woman,''^ means *' lady" in the East ; 
so our Saviour did not speak rudely to his mother, 
but only told her, that he being God, knew better than 
she could know, what to do. If he had not said 
this, perhaps the Jews would have thought that she 
helped to perform the miracle, which you know she 
could not do, unless God had given her the power. 

Aunt. Jesus Christ is as you have been taught 
then, the only Son of God, although by consenting 
to have an earthly mother, he was born as man of the 
Virgin Mary. I will tell you a few texts in the Old 
Testament which foretold this. Isa. vii. 14. — 
Isa. ix. 6. — Micah v. 2. Did any besides the shep- 
herds believe in the infant Jesus ? 

William. Yes ; good old Simeon when he saw 
him in the temple, took him up in his arms, and 
blessed God and said, " Lord, now lettest thou thy 
servant depart in peace ; for my eyes have seen thy 
salvation :" for the spirit of God had told him, that 
he should not die '' till he had seen the Lord Christ." 
And besides him, there was '' Anna," a good old 



GOD THE SON. 53 

woman, who lived in the temple, " and served God 
with fastings and prayers night and day." 

Aunt. And you see she was not satisfied with ac- 
knowledging Jesus as her Saviour by herself ; for she 
told the glad tidings " to all those who were looking 
for redemption in Jerusalem." 

William. How very kind it was of God the 
Father, to let his only Son come down from heaven 
for our sakes ! I sometimes think, Godmamma, that 
as I am an only son, my papa and mamma would be 
very sorry to part with me, though I am sometimes 
a naughty child, and disobedient to them ; but Jesus 
was obedient to his Father in all things, and to his 
earthly mother, and adopted father too, — for the Bible 
says, he went with his parents to Nazareth, and be- 
came subject to them. Luke ii. 31. 

Aunt. Do you know why Jesus is called our 
Lord, Willie ? 

William. Is it not because we are to obey him ? 
for, being God, we must pay him the same obedience 
which we owe the Father Almighty. 

Aunt. Yes my dear. If he is our Lord, we are 
his servants, and we are bound to serve him. In the 
Rev. xix. 16, Christ is called "King of Kings, and 
Lord of Lords." He is our monarch, our sove- 
reign, and we should be his loyal and faithful sub- 
jects. Of Christ's kingdom, " there shall be no 
5* 



54 GOD THE SON. 

end," Luke i. 33. for he will always reign over his 
faithful followers. Jesus himself claimed this title ; 
for he said (John xiii. 13.) to his disciples, '* Ye 
call me master and Lord, and ye say well, for so I 
am." 

William. Now Godmamma, let us find out about 
Pontius Pilate. In the first verse of the third chap- 
ter of St. Luke, we read, that he was governor of 
Judea at the lime our Saviour lived on earth. But 
why had not the Jews a king, Godmamma, like 
David and Hezekiah ? 

Aunt. They had offended God by their idolatry 
and disobedience, so He took away all their honours 
from them, and sent the Romans, who were such 
mighty conquerors, to take possession of their land. 
The emperor of Rome, Tiberius Cesar, had appoint- 
ed Pontius Pilate to manage the afl^airs of Judea for 
him, as he was too far off to superintend them him- 
self. In like manner, our Queen appoints governors 
over the distant countries, which belong to England. 
What sort of a governor do you think Pilate was ? 

William. I should think a very unjust one; for 
he delivered Jesus up to his enemies, though he said, 
"he found no cause of death in him." He was also 
very cruel, for (Luke xiii. 1,) we read of Pilate put- 
ting to death some Galileans at the time when they 
were sacrificing. 



GOD THE SON. 55 

Aunt. Your character is quite a true one, he 
showed unnecessary cruelty to the Jews from the 
beginning of his government, the Roman history 
states, for he provoked the Jews, by bringing the 
bucklers or shields, stamped with the image of the 
Roman Emperor into Jerusalem, which was a great 
insult to them ; and nothing but the command of 
Tiberius, could prevail on him to remove them. His 
injustice was also shown by his seizing on their 
^'corban," or sacred treasure, to build an aqueduct 
with. Having thus maltreated the Jews, Pilate 
*' willing to content the people," and render himself 
more popular, became still more cruel and unjust, by 
condemning the innocent Jesus. 

William. But why is Pontius Pilate's being 
governor, made an article of our belief? 

Aunt. Because it fixes the time of our Lord's 
death. The Roman historians all agree as to the 
period, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, 
so that no one can doubt the time when Christ suf- 
fered. Do you know what Jesus suffered, Willie? 

William. He was crucified. Papa told me it 
was a Roman punishment, which was only used for 
the lowest criminals or slaves. Oh ! dear Aunt, 
what a shocking death it must be ! to be nailed on a 
cross of wood, by the hands and feet ! and before 



56 V GOD THE SON. 

his crucifixion, he was scourged and buffeted. 
What is that Aunt? 

Aunt. They signify two modes of beating. The 
scourge was a terrible whip, made of a number of 
cords tied together; and buffeting means, smiting 
with the hand. But our Lord endured greater suf- 
ferings than these : I mean the sufferings of his 
mind, because he bore the weight of the sins of the 
whole world. When you have been naughty, Wil- 
liam, and your father is angry with you, how do you 
feel? 

William. Very unhappy. I do not enjoy any 
thing, from the thought of what I have done ; papa's 
anger makes me forget every thing else. 

Aunt. Then in some measure you can under- 
stand how very much your Saviour must have suf- 
fered, when he felt that he was bearing the punish- 
ment due to the sins of every one who ever lived, or 
who ever shall live, and the entire wrath of his 
heavenly Father against this load of sin. And all 
this, while he was perfectly innocent of the least sin, 
*' holy, undefiled, and separate from sinners." This 
pressed so terribly upon him, that we read when in 
the garden of Gethsemane, he was in such an agony, 
that the blood was forced through his skin, and fell 
in large drops on the ground. (Luke xxii. 44.) 



GOD THE SON. 57 

William. Oh ! how we ought to hate sin, if it 
brought such sufferings on the Son of God ! 

Aunt. And these are not half his sufferings, for 
who can tell them all ? But I wish you, my dear, 
to read over the chapters that principally relate to 
these sufferings. (Matt. xxvi. 27 — Mark xiv. 15 — 
Luke xxii. 23 — John xviii. 19.) before next Sunday, 
and write on your slate the remainder of them, which 
you find there. 

William, Oh yes, dear Aunt; and you know 
next Friday is Good Friday, the day on which 
Christ suffered. It w^ill be a nice employment for 
that day, — will it not? and perhaps my sisters will 
help me to find out the texts. 



SUNDAY EVENING VIII. 

" Dead and Buriedr 

William. As you were pleased with the texts I 
wrote out about the sufferings of Jesus, I thought 
that I would ask mamma to let me copy out a few 
more about his death and burial. 

Aunt. Well my love, and what have you to tell 
me about the death and burial of the Lord Jesus ? 

William. The last words that Jesus spake before 



S8 DEAD AND BURIED. 

he died, were, " It is finished" — and " Father, into 
Thy hand I commend my spirit." (John xix. 30, 
Luke xxiii. 46.) Why did Jesus say, " It is finished," 
Godmamma? and what is meant by "giving up the 
Ghost?" 

Aunt. When Jesus said, "It is finished," he 
meant, that all the prophecies relating to him were 
accomplished, that he had "finished the work his 
Father had given him to do," (John xvii. 4.) and 
that every thing necessary for the salvation of man, 
had been performed. After this, to show that his life 
was not "taken from him," (as he says, John x. 18,) 
" but that he laid it down of himself" — he cried with 
a loud voice, and permitted his ghost or soul to de- 
part from its earthly habitation. His crying out so 
loud, proved that he did not die from any want of 
power to live, but that as the time was come, when 
all was fulfilled, he would dismiss his spirit. 

William. When people die, Godmamma, it is 
when God pleases their souls should go, and not 
when they choose themselves. That is the difference, 
is it not? between the dying of men, women and chil- 
dren, and the dying of the Son of God ? 

Aunt. Just so my dear. The other words Jesus 
used, " Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit," 
are such as every dying follower of Christ, should be 
ready to utter. Then did the Roman centurion, a 



DEAD AND BURIED. 59 

heathen, exclaim, " Truly this was a righteous man ;" 
and the people who had before cried out, ** Crucify 
him," "smote their breasts and returned." As a 
proof that he was dead, " a soldier pierced his side 
with a spear," and thus was the prophecy fulfilled 
about him. Zech. xii. 10. 

William. Oh ! dear Aunt, I do so pity those 
poor women, who had stayed all the time "looking 
on afar off," (Luke xxiii. 49.) hoping I dare say, that 
he would save himself after all ; and some of them, 
his own mother, and his aunt, and Mary Magdalene, 
who loved him so much, stood close by the cross, till 
the last. What must the Virgin Mary have felt, 
when she heard her dear son say to her, *' Woman, 
behold thy son !" meaning his favourite disciple John, 
and then to him : " Behold thy mother." Oh ! I 
can scarcely help crying, whenever I read those 
words. I dare say, John took great care of her as 
long as she lived. 

Aunt. It must have been a bitter parting for her, 
but we cannot but think the Virgin Mary must have 
looked on her son in a different way from others. 
From his earliest years, she pondered all his sayings 
in her heart, and knew him to be the Son of God. 
So we may hope by God's power, she had learned 
to feel, that her own soul's salvation, as well as that 
of the whole world, depended on his death. Now 



60 DEAD AND BURIED. 

what can you lell me of the burial of our Lor J, which 
is made an article of our faith, since had he not been 
buried, we should not have had such sure proof of 
his death and resurrection ? 

William. I suppose not ; for a person could not 
be alive, who was laid in a grave with a large stone 
upon it. 

Aunt. I should like you first, to tell me what 
was done to the body to prepare it for the grave ; 
then, what kind of sepulchre it was ; and thirdly, 
how the prophecies relating to his burial were ful- 
filled. 

William. I read first, that the body was; pre- 
pared with spices, and wrapped in linen clothes. 
This was the manner of burying among the Jews ; 
for .Joseph you know, was embalmed, and he caused 
his father Jacob's body, to be embalmed by his ser- 
vants and physicians. (Genesis 1.) Lazarus was 
wTapped in linen clothes ; for the Bible says, " he 
came out, bound hand and foot, with grave clothes." 
Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, (the same timid 
disciple, who came to Jesus by night,) made a pre- 
sent of the spices, (John xix. 39, 40.) and mamma 
tells me, they cost a great deal, and you know, most 
of Christ's disciples were very poor. Then as to 
the sepulchre, I do not quite understand what sort of 
grave it was : — how could Peter and John, go into it ? 



DEAD AND BURIED. 61 

Aunt. My dear boy, you must not think, of the 
grave of our Lord, as like the graves used in this 
country. In Judea, and indeed in a great part of the 
East, they were caves either cut in the sides of the 
rocks, or perhaps natural caverns, formed by art into 
a convenient place for containing dead bodies : when 
any body was laid in the tomb, people rolled a large 
stone to the entrance of the cave, and thus the burial 
was completed. 

William. I understand it now. The cave where 
Jesus was laid, was in a garden near the place where 
Jesus was crucified, and it belonged to Joseph, a 
rich man, who lived at Arimathea, and who was a 
counsellor. What was that office, Aunt? 

Aunt. A Jewish counsellor, was a member of 
the Sanhedrim, or great Council of the Jews, which 
regulated all the affairs of the nation ; and it was by 
this council, that our Lord was condemned ; but St. 
Luke tells us, (xxiii. 51,) that Joseph had not con- 
sented to their deed. 

William. No, I am sure he would not, for " he 
was a good man and a just," (Luke xxiii. 51,) and 
loved the Lord Jesus. St. Mark says, (xv. 43,) 
"he was waiting for the kingdom of God." St. 
Matthew says, he was "Jesus' disciple;" but St. 
John tells of a little fault in his character, Godmam- 
6 



62 DEAD AND BURIED. 

ma, " that he was only his disciple in secret, for fear 
of the Jews,^^ So I am afraid, he feared man more 
than God. 

Aunt. His timidity was his besetting sin, Wil- 
liam, but notice how the Lord can remove the greatest 
hindrances from his true children. What does St. 
Mark say of him after Christ's death? was he timid 
then? 

William. Oh no, Aunt ; " he went boldly unto 
Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus." Now it 
must have been God who made him so bold ; for he 
would naturally have been more afraid after his mas- 
ter was dead. 

Aunt. St. Paul says, " I can do all things through 
Christ which strengtheneth me." But what did Jo- 
seph do with the body ? 

William. He bought some very fine linen, and 
wrapped it in the spices which Nicodemus had 
given, and then laid it in his own new sepulchre, 
rolled the great stone to the mouth, and departed. 

Aunt. Very well, my dear. How is it you re- 
member so much about this ? 

William. Because mamma told me to read the 
account in each Gospel about Joseph, and tell her 
what was said in one, that was not said in the others, 
and I liked finding out the diflTerence so much. 



DEAD AND BURIED. 63 

Aunt. It is indeed a very interesting way of 
studying the history of the Bible. But now my 
dear, tell me what prophecies were fulfilled ? 

William. I do not know, Aunt : please to tell 
me. 

Aunt, Open at Isaiah liii. 9, and read. 

William (reads.) Oh ! I know who the rich 
were,— Nicodemus and Joseph ; but why are they 
called wicked ? 

Aunt. Bishop Lowth, a very learned man, who 
understood Hebrew very well, (in which language 
the Old Testament was written) says, that it is a mis- 
take in the translation, and ought to be, "he made 
bis grave with the rich, and with the wicked was his 
death." 

William. Yes; that would be much better I 
think ; for you know what wicked thieves he died 
with. Was there any other prophecy about Christ's 
burial. Aunt ? 

Aunt. Our Lord himself foretold it. When 
Mary brought the ointment to anoint his feet, Jesus 
said, when others rebuked her, "she hath done it 
for my burial." Now my dear, we have talked 
longer than usual to night, so we will not find any 
more texts at present. Good night. 



SUNDAY EVENING IX. 

*^He descended into hell; the third day he arose again 
from the deadP 

William. I am so longing to get on with the 
Creed, Godinamma; as I seem to understand that 
part we have talked, about, so much better than the 
rest. It is very pleasant to spend my Sunday even- 
ings in this way ; I almost count the days, till Sun- 
day comes again. All this week I have been wanting 
to ask you about Jesus going to helU I do not like to 
say the name of such a shocking place; why did 
He who was so good go there ? 

Aunt. The word hell in the Creed, according to 
the general opinion of divines in our church, does 
not mean the everlasting dwelling of the wicked, my 
dear ; they think it would be more proper if the 
word Hades were used, which means " the place of 
departed spirits," the place where the soul goes, 
when it leaves the body, till the great judgment day. 

William. Can you tell me any thing about that 
place, Godmamma. 

Aunt. No, my dear, it has not pleased God to 
reveal any particulars about it ; and, once for all, I 



HE DESCENDED INTO HELL. 65 

wish to impress upon your mind, that those things 
which God has not seen fit, in His wisdom, to tell 
us about, we ought never to pry into. Had it been 
for our good, we should have known it. We are 
assured of this, that the souls of God's children are 
very happy directly after death, as we may learn 
from the parable of " the rich man and Lazarus," 
where we are told, that Lazarus, as soon as he was 
dead, was carried by angels into " Mraham' s bo- 
som,^'' (the name which the Jews gave to Hades) 
and our Lord told the penitent thief on the cross, 
"This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise,^^ 
which was another name for Hades. 

William. What passage in Scripture is this ar- 
ticle taken from, God mam ma ? 

Aunt. Open at Acts ii. ; it is St. Peter's first Ser- 
mon after the day of Pentecost ; he is speaking of the 
certainty of the Resurrection, and quoting several 
verses from xvith Ps. 8 — 1 1 , he applies it to our Lord, 
especially the tenth verse ; for he says, " He-(David) 
seeing this before, spake of the resurrection of Christ, 
that his soul was not left in hell, neither did his flesh 
see corruption." But as our duty here, is only to be- 
lieve the fact, without having our curiosity at all gra- 
tified, I think we had best proceed to the next arti- 
cle, the resurrection of our Lord. 

William. And although it is so wonderful, it has 
6^ 



66 HE DESCENDED INTO HELL. 

pleased God to tell us a great deal about that. I think 
I like to read those last chapters in the Gospels, better 
than any in the New Testament, except the account 
of our Lord's birth. 

Aunt. The creed says, " the third day he arose 
again from the dead." We will try, WilHam, to find 
out the proofs of this article. 

William. Do tell me why it says, the third d^y ? 
for Jesus was crucified on Good Friday, and rose 
from the dead early on Sunday morning, Easter day ; 
so there was only one whole day for him to be in the 
grave, and parts of two others. 

Aunt. The Greeks and the Hebrews, in reckon- 
ing time, always included the day on which any event 
began ; and also the day on which it ceased. So that 
the day on which he died, was considered one day ; 
the Saturday on which he lay in the grave, was 
reckoned as two ; and the day on which he arose, was 
the ihird day. Our Lord had himself foretold the 
time, when he said to the Jews, speaking of his body, 
" Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise 
it up." Now William, what proofs do you find in 
the Bible, that Jesus rose from the dead ? 

William. I think there are a great many. He 
appeared so often to his disciples, who were mourn- 
ing for him — to the two disciples, who were walking to 
Emmaus — to Mary Magdalene — (John xx.) and 



HE DESCENDED INTO HELL. 67 

twic3 to the disciples (Luke xxiv.) when shut up in 
a room at Jerusalem, where they had assembled; 
(John XX.) and besides that, to Peter, and James, and 
John, and Thomas, and Nathaniel ; and two others 
at the Lake of Tiberias, (John xxi.) They could 
could not have been all mistaken, Godmamma. 

Aunt. No, my love, and it is very clear testi- 
mony ; but wicked unbelieving men might say, that 
these witnesses were all Chrisi's friends, and there- 
fore they might be interested in declaring these par- 
ticulars. Can you tell me if any of Christ's ene- 
mies bore witness to his resurrection ? 

William. Let me think. The soldiers that 
Pilate sent to watch the grave, saw him rise ; they 
were his enemies, were they not ? 

Aunt. Yes, my dear ; and thus we see, how God 
ordered everything, that there should be no possibility 
of doubt, by making the servants of his enemies bear 
witness to the truth. Read the account of it in Matt, 
xxvii. and xxviii. 

William, (reads) . . . And so the wicked priests 
and Pharisees, who wanted the guard, in order to 
prevent our Lord's prophecy from coming to pass, 
found that the soldiers were to bear witness to its 
truth. Tliough they were paid to be silent, they 
could not be so, if God meant them to tell it, and I 
dare say they told it to many. 



68 HE DESCENDED INTO HELL. 

Aunt. At all events the chief priests were told 
of it. But these were not the only witnesses to our 
Lord's resurrection — these were earthly witnesses — 
there were heavenly ones besides, 

William. Oh ! you mean those beautiful angels 
clothed in white, who appeared to the keepers ; and 
to Mary, and Peter and John, (John xx. 12,) and 
then the earthquake ! Godmamma : that seemed like 
the voice of God saying, that something very won- 
derful was happening. 

Aunt. Now having found that our Lord arose^ 
let us find some texts to prove that he " rose from the 
dead,^^ in order to show that with the same body that 
had died, and been buried, he rose again. 

William. Do you not remember about Thomas, 
when he said, he would notbelieve that Jesus was risen, 
unless he was allowed to put his fingers in the print 
of the nails, and his hands into his side? and then our 
Lord appeared again, and made him do so. (John xx. 
24, 25.) I am sure that proves it to have been the 
same body that was so cruelly treated on the cross. 

Aunt. And the first time he appeared to the 
eleven, (when they were afraid, and thought it must 
be his spirit, without his body, as they had seen his 
body buried,) Jesus said, '* Behold that it is I myself; 
handle me, and see, for a spirit hath not flesh and 



HE DESCENDED INTO HELL, 69 

bones, as ye see me have," and then he ate food be- 
fore them, to show, that it was a real body. 

William. Nothing could be plainer, but I should 
like you very much to tell me the chief uses of 
Christ's resurrection to us. 

Aunt. My dear, it makes us feel a certainty 
about the resurrection of our own bodies, as we see, 
Romans viii. 11, Christ being our head; we, who 
are his members, must rise with him. 

William. Oh! I remember very well, all you 
told me about *' the members of Christ," and the 
union of all true behevers to him. Dear Godmamma 
I am very glad that Jesus rose from the dead, so as 
to make it sure, that we should do so too ; for it 
would be very sad, when any person was buried that 
we loved, if we had no hopes of seeing them again, 
as we had been used to see them. But still it does 
seem very difficult to understand how the same body 
which is turned to dust, should ever again have life 
in it. 

Aunt. The God who made us first out of the 
dust of the earth, could surely again unite the same 
dust, and give a new life to it. But in God's works 
we are shown many changes of a like nature, which 
are sufficient to strengthen our faith in the doctrine 
of the resurrection. 

William. Do tell me some of them, Aunt. 



70 HE DESCENDED INTO HELL. 

Aunt. Look first in your Bible, William, and 
see what God Himself says about it. 1 Cor. xv. 
35—38. 

William, (reads,) Then the corn which is sown 
in the field, represents the body when laid in the 
grave. I am sure a grain of wheat, or one of my 
sweet pea seeds, both look as if they had no life in 
them, when I put them into the ground; but it is 
when they perish in the earth, that the pretty green 
shoots spring out of them. 

Aunt. And observe the trees, which in the winter 
are quite stripped of leaves, and seem like dead sticks. 

William. Oh! yes Aunt. My little horse-ches- 
nut that I planted myself, and had such fine branches 
of spreading leaves, first turned yellow, then brown, 
in the autumn, and the leaves fell off one by one, till 
it was quite bare ; and I was so sorry about it, for I 
thought it was quite dead. But the gardener told me, 
not to mind, for it would have more and finer leaves 
in the spring — and so it had ; for the great buds came 
first, and then such large leaves ; and it had two blos- 
soms — suoh beautiful blossoms! — and last autumn, 
Godmamma, when its leaves fell, I was not at all 
afraid about it. 

Aunt. Your tree is a good representation of the 
resurrection, for although w^e shall have the same 
bodies again, yet the bodies of Christ's members, will 



HE DESCENDED INTO HELL. 71 

he glorified. (1 Cor. xv. 42, 43.) Our bodies now 
often tempt us to sin, but then^ they will be all holy, 
and pure, and without anything that is evil. But I 
must not forget to tell you of another very exact type 
of the Resurrection. 

William. What is a type, Godmamma? 

Aunt. The representation of one thing by another, 
that is more easily understood, or perceived. Thus 
God commanded the offering up of a Lamb as a sacri- 
fice, to be a type or representation of Jesus, who was 
to be offered up for the sins of men. 

William. What was the type of the resurrection 
you were speaking of? 

Aunt. I was alluding to the changes which take 
place in the butterfly. 

William. I know. Papa brought me one day, 
some little eggs on a leaf; they were about the size 
of a pin's head, and after some time they became little 
worms, and then turned into great senseless dead look- 
ing things, which I was going to throw away ; but 
papa told me to keep one, (he called it a chrysalis) 
and in a few days, there crept out of it such a lovely 
butterfly, with red, and purple, and black wings ! 

Aunt. Does not the chrysalis, without beauty, or 
apparent life, represent a dead body ? And does not 
the butterfly in all its life and splendour, represent a 
glorious body rising from the tomb ? 



72 HE DESCENDED INTO HELL. 

William. Oh! yes, dear Aunt; lam sure that 
is a beautiful type. I shall ask papa, if he will find 
me some more little eggs, that I may watch the 
change again, and thmk of the resurrection. 

Aunt. There is another great use in the belief 
of Christ's resurrection ; to remind us that we must 
act as living members. The Bible says, (Rom. vi. 
4.) "As Christ was raised from the dead, by the 
glory of the Father; even so, should we walk in 
newness of life." For us " to live as it were in the 
graves of sin, while Christ is risen from the dead," 
would be very unlike his followers ; our souls should 
be raised from earthly things — " our affections should 
be set on things above." St. Paul says to the sin- 
ner, *' Awake thou, that sleepest, and arise from the 
dead, and Christ shall give thee light." This resur- 
rection from sin, is called, Rev. xx. 6, " the first 
resurrection." 

William. I shall try to remember that text, 
«* Awake, thou that sleepest," &:c. : for perhaps it 
would stop me, when I am inclined to be naughty, 
disobedient, idle, or selfish. 

Aunt. God grant it may, my dear boy — Good 
night — It is past your usual hour. 



SUNDAY EVENING X. 

" He ascended into heaven, and siiteth at the right hand of 
God the Father, Almighty ; from thence he shall come to 
judge the quick and the dead^^ 

William. I know the meaning of " to ascend," 
dear Aunt, — " to go up." So we shall only have to 
find some proofs, that Jesus did go up into heaven. 

Aunt. Let us find out, if any were present at 
the time, that Christ arose, and if it happened in a 
retired place ? 

William. St. Matthew does not mention it ; St. 
Mark says, ''after the Lord had spoken unto them, 
he was received up into heaven." St. Luke's ac- 
count is, " and he led them out as far as to Bethany ; 
and he lifted up his hands and blessed them : and it 
came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted 
from them, and carried up into heaven." Was not 
Bethany the place near to Jerusalem, where Lazarus, 
and Martha, and Mary lived,- and where Jesus so 
often went with his disciples ? 

Aunt. Yes, it was the same place, and therefore 
the ascension must have been generally known : and 
7 



74 HE ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN. 

most likely generally seen by the people of the 
place. 

William. At all events, the Apostles were with 
him ; but St. John does not say any thing about it. 
Is there no other account of this wonderful event, 
Aunt? 

Aunt. Yes ; in the Acts of the Apostles, writ- 
ten by St. Luke, and dedicated to the same Theo- 
philus, to whom he addressed his gospel. He con- 
tinues his account from the day previous to the 
ascension. 

William reads Acts i. 9 — 11. See — Jesus did 
not ascend, while his disciples were looking another 
way, (as if they only missed him from their side) 
but as he was talking to them, he began to ascend, 
for " wJiile they beheld^ the cloud received him out 
of their sight:" and they continued looking up after 
him for a long time. 

Aunt. In the clear atmosphere of an Eastern 
sky, most likely they were enabled to see their as- 
cending Lord for some time, as he rose farther and 
farther from the earth ; until at last, a cloud received 
him, or hindered all further view of him. Who do 
you think the two men were, William ? 

William. " Two men in white apparel !" Where 
have I read of such before ? O it was in St. Luke's 
Gospel : he speaks of " two men in shining gar- 



HE ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN. 75 

merits," who were at the tomb of our Lord. I sup- 
pose they were angels like the others ! But if he 
means angels, why does he call them men ? 

Aunt. Either they were persons of the same 
nature as ourselves, who were sent from the regions 
above, to tell those members of Christ's body, who 
were still on earth, that their Head had just entered 
the courts of heaven ; or the Evangelist may mean, 
that they took the form of men, in order that they 
might be visible to the eyes of the Apostles. 

William. What is an Evangelist ? 

Aunt. The word means, "a bearer of glad tid- 
ings ;" — and St. Matthew, St. Mark, St. Luke, and 
St. John, are so called, because having written Tby 
the teaching of the Spirit) the life of our Lord Jesus 
Christ, they seem in a peculiar manner, to deserve 
that title, though all preachers of the Gospel, may 
properly be called Evangelists. 

William. Was there any prophecy relating to 
Christ's ascension, Godmamma ? 

Aunt. David in the Ixviiith Psalm, speaking of 
the greatness and majesty of Jehovah, says, verse 
18, " Thou hast ascended up on high," &c. ; and 
St. Paul, Ephesians iv. tells us, that this referred to 
Christ's ascension, as it could only be said of a per- 
son who had been on earth, that he ascended. Now 
God the Father did not take our nature upon him, 



76 HE ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN. 

but God the Son did ; so that this prophecy must 
relate to him. 

William. It must have been a great comfort to 
his disciples, to see him enter again his Fathei's 
kingdom ; when only a few days before, they saw 
him laid in the grave. 

Aunt. Yes, doubtless it was ; and we see from 
that time, the ideas of the disciples became more 
spiritual, for they began to see, that their master's 
kingdom was not of this world, and to enter into the 
meaning of his promises. Two of our Lord's ser- 
vants were permitted some communication with him, 
after his ascension : one was St. Stephen, the first of 
the martyrs. 

William. What is a martyr. Aunt ? 

Aunt. A martyr, is one who suffers death for the 
sake of his faith. There were many who endured 
martyrdom from the Roman Emperors, being torn by 
wild beasts, or tortured in various ways, because they 
would not deny Jesus, and sacrifice to their false 
gods ; and in the English history, we read of men, 
women, and children, who in the reign of the wicked 
Queen Mary, were burnt in the flames, because they 
would not worship images, own the Pope as head of 
the church, and subscribe to the many errors and 
follies of the Roman Church, though it professed to 
be called Christian, 



HE ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN. 77 

William. How could people be so wicked and 
cruel, as to act in that manner ! and what faith the 
martyrs must have had ! Do tell me what death St. 
Stephen suffered? 

Aunt. Read Acts vii. ; especially from verse 54 
to the end. 

William (reads). Oh! how shocking to stone 
so good a man ; yet he seems to have been very 
happy in his death. I suppose Jesus appeared to 
him, to give him strength. But who was the other 
person that saw our Lord, when ascended ? 

Aunt. I alluded to St. Paul ; but he did not see 
him, I think, as St. Stephen did ; but saw a great 
light, and heard his voice speaking to him. You 
will find the whole account. Acts ix. It is right to 
notice, my dear, that the Creed says of our Lord, 
*' He ascended into heaven :" that is to say, into the 
same place from whence he came ; according as he 
told his disciples : " What, and if ye should see the 
Son of man, ascend up where he was before." It 
was the inner and highest heaven of heavens — *' for 
the entrance of the High Priest, once a year, into 
the holy of holies," clothed in a pure white robe, 
was a type of Jesus our great High Priest, who 
clothed in our flesh, yet without spot, entered the 
highest heavens. 



78 



HE ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN. 



William. What then, he did not give up his 
earthly body, when he went back to heaven ? 

Aunt. No, my dear ; do you not remember that 
the Apostles saw his body go up ? therefore, a body 
of the same nature as ours, and in which God has 
deigned to dwell, is now exalted at the right hand 
of God the Father ? 

William. Why on the right hand ? 

Aunt. Because it is a mark of the greatest 
honour and distinction, signifying that he was raised 
above all angels, principalities and powers ; and that 
our Lord did sit, and still does sit at the right hand 
of God, the Scriptures plainly show. Christ speaking 
to the Pharisees of himself, (Matthew xxii. 42,) 
quoted David's words: ** The Lord said unto my 
Lord, sit thou on my right hand," &c., and Heb. i. 
13 : " For to which of his angels said he, at any time, 
sit thou on my right hand," &c. ; and read Rom. viii. 
34.— 1 Pet. iii. 22. 

William. Then all it means is, that Christ, after 
he ascended, was exalted to the place of the greatest 
honour in heaven — Jesus, who had suffered so much 
on earth, was now received by his Almighty Father, 
with every mark of love and honour. How very 
happy he must have felt, to think of all the good he 
had done for man ! 



HE ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN. 79 

Aunt. And still is doing, for " he everliveth to 
make intercession for us." You know what that 
is, William. 

William. Begging his Father to forgive us, is 
it not ? 

Aunt. Yes, love. Now read over the Collect 
for Ascension Day, that you may see what effect the 
ascension of our Lord should produce on us. 

William' (reads). Dear Aunt, pray do not stop 
here ; let us go on to the next, for it is rather earlier 
this evening, and I want so much to know, why Jesus 
should ever come from heaven again, for the Creed 
says, " from thence he shall come to judge the quick 
and the dead." When will Christ come again, dear 
Aunt ? and how will he come ? and what will he 
come for ? 

Aunt. I will answer your last question first. 
Our Lord himself has told us about it. Matt. xvi. 
27. *' For the Son of Man shall come in the glory 
of his Father, with his angels, and then he shall re- 
ward every man according to his works." You see 
it is the same Son of man who ascended into heaven, 
who (as the angels said,) " shall so come in like man- 
ner," to judge all men : " the Father judgeth no man, 
but hath committed all judgment unto the Son." 
John, V. 27. 

William. I suppose because Jesus Christ, from 



80 HE ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN. 

having been man, knew so well what should be ex- 
pected of us. 

Aunt. As perfect God and perfect man, he is in- 
deed fully qualified for the task. He who knows every 
thought of man's heart, and who hates the least 
sin, cannot but be a strict judge ; and none could 
know as He does, who amongst us really believe in 
his power to save, and who only pretend to do so. 
*' Not every one that saith unto me Lord, Lord, shall 
enter into the kingdom of heaven ; but he that doeth 
the will of my Father who is in heaven." 

William. It seems very awful to think, that he 
knows every thing, and that nothing can be hid from 
him. If I knew that you, dear Godmamma, could 
tell all my thoughts, I should be very unhappy and 
much ashamed, for they are often very naughty. 
Will every one be brought to him to be judged one 
at a time ? 

Aunt. Every body who ever lived, will stand at 
the scune time before him. St. John, who was per- 
mitted to see this great day before-hand, says, " I saw 
the dead, small, and great, stand before God." Read, 
my dear, the account of the day of judgment as he 
describes it, Rev. xx. II — 15. 

William (reads). Oh ! how terrible it is, and yet 
how grand ! but we cannot imagine the greatness of 
the number that will then be present. One day we 



HE ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN. 81 

went through Bath, when the election of the member 
was taking place, and I never saw so many persons 
assembled as then ; but that could be nothing to the 
day of judgment, "the small and great:" that means, 
all who have ever died, old and young, from the be- 
ginning of the world — all little children who have 
died, will be there, as well as grown up people, and 
they will be judged by the things that are written 
against them in God's book, the same as others. But 
what should I say to Jesus about my sins, and wicked 
thoughts, if he asks me about them then, God- 



mamma 



? 



Aunt. As a christian child, you might remember 
with comfort, that your judge had once been a little 
child himself, and that he used to love little children 
and took them in his arms, and blessed them. 

William. Oh yes ! and I would say, " though I 
have been naughty, I do really love you, and I am 
sure you can take away my sin ;" and you know the 
Lord says, " I love those who love me, and those who 
seek me early shall find me." (Prov. viii. 17.) Does 
'' hell" mean hades in this chapter, or the wicked 
place, Godmamma ? 

i Aunt. It probably means hades, my dear, from 
whence the departed spirits will come, to be united 
to thefr bodies, in order to receive their final doom ; 



82 HE ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN. 

either in heaven or hell. It may mean only the 
grave, as the Greek word signifies that as well, 

William. I am glad that the Bible mentions, that 
" the sea shall give up her dead," as it must be a great 
happiness to those persons, whose dear friends have 
been drowned or buried at sea, to think they shall 
meet them again, as well as those which have been 
laid in the earth. 

Aunt. Now read Daniel's description of our 
Lord's coming, in reply to your second question, 
(Daniel vii. 13, 14,) how will Christ come ? 

William (reads). How glorious the sight will be ! 
please to give me some more texts which describe it. 

Aunt. St. Jude tells us, that Enoch prophecied, 
that our Lord should come with ten thousand of his 
saints; and St. Paul says, (1 Thess. iv. 16.) "The 
Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, 
with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump 
of God." 

William. Thank you, I will mark them. Now 
do tell me what is meant by '* the quick." I wanted 
to ask before, but did not like to interrupt what we 
were talking about. 

Aunt. The word means, the living ; it is an old 
word seldom used now ; but you have heard the gar- 
dener talk of a quick hedge, meaning, a hedge formed 



HE ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN. 83 

of living plants, instead of such as are made of thorns 
and dry wood : and in the Bible, the word quicken is 
often used to denote the change produced by the Spirit 
of God, in the soul of the sinner. '* You hath he 
quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins. 
(Ephes. ii. 1.) But in the Creed it means, those 
who shall be alive when Christ comes. Suppose 
the Lord Jesus were to appear to-night^ all now 
living upon earth, would be judged, the same as those 
who had died before. 

William. What text tells us, that those who 
shall be alive, will be judged, as well as those who 
are dead ? 

Aunt. Read the whole of that same passage be- 
fore named, 1 Thess. iv. 15-17, where the apostle 
gives a minute account of the manner in which the 
judgment shall take place. 

William (reads). Now do tell me when this 
shall be. 

Aunt. This, my dear, is one of the subjects about 
which we have no right to inquire, since the Lord 
has concealed it from us. He says, (Mark xiii. 31,) 
" Of that day, and of that hour knoweth no man," 
but ends with this advice : " What I say unto you, 
I say unto all, watch." St. Paul, fearful lest his con- 
verts should be neglectful of their duty, while spend- 
ing their time in vain inquiries, reminds them, that 



84 HE ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN. 

the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night, 
1 Thess. V. ; and that they are not to be deceived into 
believing, that the day is at hand, by persons who 
may undertake to fix the time, as some people do in 
the present day. It is enough, that we know not 
when it may be, and are always ready for it. The 
day of our death must happen to each of us, and will 
be the same to us, as the day of judgment. 

William. Because in whatever state our souls 
are, when we die, so will they be when they are 
judged ? 

Aunt. Certainly. Now read St. Matthew's ac- 
count, twenty-fifth chapter, of the judgment day. 

William (reads). There is nothing said here 
about our believing in Christ, Aunt, to procure our 
entrance into heaven. 

Aunt. No, my dear; our Lord knew, that all that 
we could do that is right, must be in consequence of 
our belief in him ; therefore he often speaks of our 
being judged, or rewarded according to our works, 
because our works are required to show, if we have 
really believed in him or not. 

William. Yes, I understand ; he said, many 
would call him, "Lord, Lord," and not do the things 
he said; but you know, if we really love a person, 
we try to please him. 

Aunt. The Bible says, *' Without holiness, no 



HE ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN. 85 

man shall see the Lord;" and " without faith, it is 
impossible to please him." When the Bible says 
things which seem to differ, it is only because it ex- 
plains different things at different times ; and if any 
thing seems contradictory, it is only, either because 
we are ignorant, and cannot see our ignorance ; or 
because we look only to one side of the question. 
Some people are too apt to attend entirely to one 
doctrine, and neglect others ; thus trying to form a 
religion, according to their own opinions. 

William. Is not that very unfair, Aunt? 

Aunt. Not only that, but it leads to numberless 
disputes and errors ; I will tell you a story which 
will explain it. ' In the days of knight errantry, when 
single adventurers rode about the world, seeking em- 
ployment in their profession, which was that of the 
sword, two warlike knights met at a place, where a 
statue was erected. On the arm of the statue was a 
shield, one side of which was iron, and the other 
brass ; and as the two warriors stopped, one on each 
side of it, the brass side was opposite the one, and 
the iron side opposite the other. On talking of the 
statue, one said the shield was iron-i the other main- 
tained it to he brass; and at last from loud words, 
they came to blows, drawing their swords, they fought 
most furiously, till both were stretched, exhausted, on 
the ground. A passenger came by, and hearing the 



S6 HE ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN. 

cause of their quarrel, he told them, that all this might 
have been spared, had they looked at both sides of the 
shield, before they began to quarrel.' 

William. What a pretty story ! I hope I shall 
think of it, when I am obstinate about my own 
opinion. 

Aunt. Now, my dear, your time is long past ; 
good night — God bless you. 



SUNDAY EVENING XL 
DIVISION III. 

GOD THE HOLY GHOST. 
« I believe in God the Holy Ghost" 

William. Dear Godmamma, did not you say that 
the word Ghost meant Spirit? 

Aunt. Yes, my dear, it is taken from the Saxon 
word Gast or ghost. You see that the division of 
the Creed begins again with **I believe," to remind 
US that each point of faith requires our distinct belief. 
Do you know any thing about the Holy Ghost, 
William 1 

William. Very little indeed, I should like to know 
more, for he is called God, as well as God the Father 
and God the Son. 



GOD THE HOLY GHOST. 87 

Aunt. We will first try to find out that the Holy 
Ghost is a separate person, and not merely an attribute 
or quality of God. Secondly, that he is a Divine 
Person, or God himself. Thirdly, what is his office? 
It is very wicked to take away any glory, or honour, 
or power from God, therefore we ought to be quite 
sure as to what we believe on the subject. 

William. Ifow can we find out that the Holy 
Ghost is a Person, Godmamma? 

Aunt. All our belief, to be true, must be found in 
the Bible. Let us see if there are any personal 
actions, any thing which 2i person would do, to be 
found there, concerning the Holy Spirit. Look in 
John xiv., where there is much about Him. 

William. Here is a verse, the 26th, — it says, the 
Father sent the Comforter. Is not that a sign of his 
being a person ? for I should think he must be a per- 
son^ if he be sent by another. 

Aunt. Why, my dear ? 

William. Because if I wanted to send for my 
hat, or my ball, I must send 2. person to get it, — and 
look, Godmamma, further on in the same verse it says, 
** he shall teach you all things." Now there must 
be a person to teach any thing. 

Aunt. And yet if the Holy Spirit teaches, we 
do not see him. 

William. No, Aunt. But we do not see God 



88 GOD THE HOLY GHOST. 

the Father who takes care of ns, nor Jesus Christ 
who is now at God's right hand, and yet we know 
that God does take care of us, and that his Son is 
there. That is faith you know, to helieve things 
we do not see. 

Aunt. True, my love. Now see for some more 
proofs that the Holy Ghost is a person. In the 
xvith chapter, the Spirit of Truth is said to guide 
us. Now that is the work of a person, is it not? 

William. Yes, if I had lost ray way, I should 
not be able to find it, unless some person showed it 
to me ; and in the next verse, (14lh,) it says He re- 
ceives things, and shows them to others. These 
are more marks of his being a person, are they not ? 

Aunt. Yes ; and now turn to Rom. viii. 26, 
and you will see that the Spirit intercedes for us 
with "groanings that cannot be uttered," and verse 
27 says, " He that searcheth the heart, (that is God 
the Father,) knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, 
because he maketh intercession for the saints." 

William. An intercessor is a person who begs 
for another; then the Holy Ghost is plainly ajoer- 
son. Will you now show that He is a Divine 
person 1 

Aunt. Open to Acts v. 3, 4, and read it. 

William. Oh ! it is the sad history of Ananias 
and Sapphira. (Reads.) Yes, Aunt, the Holy Ghost 



GOD THE HOLY GHOST. 89 

must be God, for after saying Ananias had lied to the 
Holy Ghost, Peter said, " Thou hast not lied unto 
men but unto God^ 

Aunt. In Matt, xxviii. 19, He is made equal to 
the Father and the Son, and therefore all Christians 
use these words in Baptism, to show their belief in 
the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and in obedience 
to our Lord's express commands. In 1 Cor. iii. 16, 
the bodies of Christians are called the temple of God^ 
because the Sph*it of God dwelleth in them. 

William. Nothing can be plainer; the Holy 
Ghost is certainly a Divine person, but perhaps this 
may be only another title for God the Father or God 
the Son ? 

Aunt. No, my dear, it is important that we 
should beheve the Holy Ghost to be quite a distinct 
person from either. In the verse before named, 
Matt, xxviii. 19, you see they are all three spoken 
of by our Lord distinctly; and if you turn to the 
account of our Lord's baptism, (Matt. iii. 16, 17,) 
you will see that all the three Divine persons were 
present. 

William. Oh ! yes ; Jesus was standing in the 
water, the Holy Ghost descended upon him in the 
form of a dove, and God the Father was heard to 
say from heaven, *' This is my beloved Son, in 



90 GOD THE HOLY GHOST. 

whom I am well pleased." Now, dear Aunt, we 
must find out what is the office of God the Holy 
Ghost. In the next answer of the Catechism it 
says, " the Holy Ghost sanctifies us." What does 
that mean ? 

Aunt. That He makes us holy. He puts holy 
thoughts into our hearts, holy words into our mouths, 
and makes us perform holy actions. All the spiri- 
tual gifts and blessings we enjoy are from the Holy 
Ghost. Turn to John xvi. 8-14 ; and see what 
he is said to do for us. 

William. " He will reprove the world of sin, 
of righteousness, and of judgment;" and He will 
guide us into all truth. 

Aunt. He will convince men of sin, and so lead 
them to holiness. You know my dear, the natural 
heart of a man loves sin too well to see any harm in 
it, or to wish to get rid of it, but the children of God 
hate sin, and long for the time when they shall be 
wholly free from it. They strive, they pray, they 
watch, lest it should obtain dominion over them. This 
is the entire work of the Holy Spirit, who has 
wrought this change in their hearts. You remember 
I have told you something about this before when 
speaking of the New Birth. 

William. About what our Lord said to Nico- 



GOD THE HOLY GHOST. 91 

demus, " Except a man be born of water and of the 
Spirit, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Does 
this change take place very suddenly ? 

Aunt. God works usually in the most natural 
manner. An infant does not grow into a man at 
once, the change in growth is gradual. It is (as the 
Scripture says,) Mark iv. 28, " first the blade, then 
the ear, and after that the full corn in the ear." But 
instances have occurred where the Holy Ghost has 
thought fit to show forth His power in the sudden 
conversion of a sinner. 

William. Like the conversion of St. Paul ? 
You know he was on his way to destroy the Lord's 
people, when God stopped him, and changed his 
heart and made him one of them. 

Aunt. He was a striking example of the Lord's 
power and mercy. But always remember, that 
though a person be but a "babe in Christ," and 
though only a green blade is to be found in him, yet 
the characters of the full grown Christian, and the 
full ear of corn, must still be found, for he must hate 
sin, and strive and watch and pray against it, even 
then, from the very first. He must no longer pre- 
fer the foolish, trifling, or sinful amusements of the 
world, or care about its riches or honours, for his 
treasure must be above, or at all events he must 
earnestly desire that it should be. 



92 GOD THE HOLY GHOST. 

William. I do hope the Holy Spirit is in me, 
though I fear it is only a very small green blade, so 
small that it can scarcely be seen. But it would be 
so shocking to be quite without the Spirit of God, 
Aunt! 

Aunt. My dear child, I do trust that the Holy 
Ghost has entered your heart, and if so, I trust He 
will by his grace or favour, (which in the Bible is 
compared to dew and refreshing streams,) water 
your small blade, and cause it to spring up into a 
fruitful ear. But I must warn you to watch and 
pray lest the good seed which the Holy Ghost may 
have sown, should be choked, and He be driven from 
your heart. 

William. Could any thing make the Holy Spirit 
leave my heart if he has once entered it ? 

Aunt. In 1 Thess. v. 19, we are told not to 
" quench the Spirit ;" that is, not to put out the holy 
flame He has kindled within us ; and in Ephes. iv. 
30, we are told not to grieve the Holy Spirit, or 
provoke him to leave us. You remember the para- 
ble of " the devil sowing tares in the field," — all the 
seeds which the devil sows are weeds, and the heart 
of man is their natural soil, so they are sure to 
spring up wherever we leave room for them. If we 
allow them to spring up, the Holy Spirit seeing we 
love the Devil's work better than His, may perhaps 



GOD THE HOLY GHOST. 93 

give us up to be overrun by the weeds of sin, and 
take the green blade away from us. 

William. But I should be afraid as the green 
blade is so small, and grows so slowly in our hearts, 
that the devil's weeds would always choke it. 

Aunt. Eemember, if we love to have God in 
our hearts, and carefully destroy the weeds as soon 
as they spring up, that is, resist every sin, " the 
devil will flee from us," for " stronger is he that is 
for us, than he that is against us ;" and He will 
make our blade grow into a flourishing and fruitful 
ear, in his good time. The devil can never overcome 
God, for he trembles before Him. 



SUNDAY EVENING XH. 

, DIVISION IV. 

the church and its privileges. 

" The Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints*^ 

William. We are now come. Aunt, to the fourth 
and last division of the Creed, ' the Church and its 
Privileges.' I know what 2. privilege means, Aunt — 
' an advantage gained^^ is it not ? But I do not seem 



94 THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH. 

to understand this article: you told me one day, that 
the Church in the Bible did not mean a building in 
which people worship God. 

Aunt. No, my dear, it does not generally signify 
that; but did I not tell you what it meant? 

William. Let me think. What were we talking 
of? Oh ! it was about being " a member of Christ." 
Yes — I recollect you said, that the church meant the 
whole number of true Christians, who have ever lived 
in the world, or ever shall live in it. Is not that 
right ? 

Aunt. Yes, my dear; and if you bear in mind, 
what we then talked about, this article will soon be ' 
made plain to you. The first Christian Church, 
you know, was that established immediately after our 
Lord's death, by his apostles : we should therefore 
be guided in our description of a true church, by their 
rules : we find then, that the " visible church of 
Christ, is a congregation of faithful men, in which 
the pure word of God is preached, and the sacraments 
duly, (or properly) administered, according to Christ's 
ordinance:"* for in the Apostles' church, aZ/ were 
baptized by the same baptism ; all partook together 
of the Lord's Supper ; and the same pure faith was 
preached to all. 

• Nineteenth Article of the Church of England. 



THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH. 95 

William. If that is the form of a true church, I 
suppose all persons who are not baptized, who do 
not hear and believe the word of God, and who do 
not partake of the Lord's Supper, are not members 
of the church of Christ. 

Aunt. Certainly they cannot be members of the 
visible church of Christ, if they fail in either of these 
points ; but we cannot pretend to look into the hearts 
of others, and therefore must only speak of persons 
in general, and not of individuals — of course children 
may be members of the church of Christ, without re- 
ceiving the Lord's Supper, because they are not to do 
so, till they can understand it. 

William. You mean by the Lord's Supper, the 
service which you and mamma, and papa, and a 
great many people attend, once a month, when I and 
my sister go home with Sarah after the morning ser- 
vice. But I do not know what it is. 

Aunt. When you are a little older, you will un- 
derstand it better, and I shall try to explain it to you, 
when you come to the last part of the Catechism. 
Now have you any more questions to ask about the 
Church, my dear ? 

William. Yes, I wanted to know the meaning 
of the word Catholic. 

Aunt. It signifies " universalj^^ or " all over the 
world r^ meaning that the Church of Christ is not 



96 THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCHI 

limited to any place, but may spread, and does spread 
into every part of the world ; and also that it has 
been in existence from the beginning of the world, and 
will last after the world has come to an end, even 
throughout eternity ! 

William. You mean, that Noah and Abraham, 
and all the prophets belonged to the Church of Christ, 
although living in different times ; and that as the 
members of Christ die on earth, they will be re- 
ceived into heaven, and form part of Christ's Church 
there. You told me this before. 

Aunt. You may see in Heb. xi. that the saints of 
the Old Testament, form a part of that Holy Band, 
for holiness is a necessary part of the Catholic 
Church. However truly the Gospel may be preached, 
or the sacraments administered, unless the members 
are holy, they can form no part of the true church of 
Christ, which is a Holy Catholic Church. 

William. Now, dear Aunt, I want to know if 
there is more than one true Church ? because I have 
heard of several churches, such as the Church of 
England, the Church of Scotland, the Church of 
Rome. 

Aunt. There can be but one true Church, or 
body of faithful believers ; but there may be many 
branches of that true Church : only, (as I said be- 
fore) they must all agree in the particulars just men- 



THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH. 



97 



tioned. All the branches of the vine may not be 
equally healthy, or equally good, or equally fruitful ; 
but as long as they are in Christ, acknowledging 
Him as their God, their Saviour, and their Lord, we 
are bound to own them as his. Most of the churches 
which were holy and pure, in the times of the Apos- 
tles, are now^ quite lost, from their having fallen from 
faith or hohness, and those which still remain, are so 
defaced by error, that we can scarcely own them. This 
is the awful case of those churches which were 
warned by the Apostle John. Rev. ii. 3 ; and which 
I will tell you more about some day, and read you an 
account of their present state. 

William. Thank you, dear Aunt ; how sad it 
seems, that the very places where the apostles 
preached, should have fallen away ; but do tell me if 
there are many churches now, which have error in 
their faith or their practice ? 

Aunt. You know, my love, all earthly things 
tend to decay ; and if by prayer and watchfulness, 
the Holy Spirit is not kept alive within them, they 
must become corrupt. You named the Church of 
Rome, which formerly w^as a pure part of Christ's 
Church, and more flourishing than any other ; but it 
is now filled with the most dangerous errors. 

William. It is what is called the Roman Catholic 
Church, is it not ? Do tell me some of its errors ? 
9 



98 THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH. 

Aunt. They call themselves Catholic, because 
they say, they are the only true church ; and no per- 
son can be saved out of it : they break the first and 
second commandments, by teaching people to pray to 
saints and angels, and the Virgin Mary ; they think, 
that fastings and prayers, and money, can get them to 
heaven ; and they say, that the Pope, (that is, the 
Bishop of Rome) is to be honoured as God, and can 
take away sins. 

William. What are we to understand by the 
communion of saints? 

Aunt. It is one of the great privileges of the 
church, signifying first, the close and intimate union 
which exists between the different members of the 
church — and God the Father- — God the Son — and 
God the Holy Ghost. 

William. No union can be closer, than that of 
a child with a parent, and we know, that all the 
members of the true church enjoy that favour ; being 
a part of Christ's body, we must have communion 
with him, and the dwelUng of the Holy Ghost in 
us, proves, that we have communion with him also. 
Please to find me some texts about this, God- 
mamma. 

Aunt. Communion with the Father, 1 John i. 
3. — 1 John iii. 1 ; with the Son — John xv. 1 — 4.— 



THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH. 99 

1 Cor. i. 9. — 2 John 9. — of communion with the 
Holy Ghost, 2 Cor. xiii. 14. 

William. You said, communion with God, was 
the first thing meant in the communion of saints ; 
what else is intended ? 

Aunt. Secondly, the saint's communion with 
his fellow saints on earth. In former days, when 
the necessities of the church required it, this feeling 
of oneness among them, led them to have "all things 
in common ;" and now, as then, in a spiritual sense, 
it leads them " to rejoice with those who do rejoice, 
and to weep with those who weep:" the prosperity 
of one, is a cause of joy to the whole ; and the heavi- 
ness of one, causes sorrow to all. You remember 
a text about this. 

William. *' Whether one member suffer, all 
the members suffer with it." 1 Cor. xii. 26. But 
do the saints on earth, enjoy communion with the 
saints above? 

Aunt. Yes, both with them, and the holy an- 
gels. As to their fellow saints in glory, read Heb. 
xii. 22, 23 ; and as to the communion with the holy 
angels, you remember our Lord said, that *'the an- 
gels in heaven rejoice over one sinner that repenteth ;" 
we know besides, that they take care of the righte- 
ous, (Psalm xxxiv. 7,) and minister to the saints ; 



100 THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH. 

(Heb. i. 14,) and the Bible is full of instances 
of angels coming on earth to do good offices to the 
saints. 

William. These are indeed great privileges ; I 
ought to thank God, for permitting me to be made a 
member of his church, and of so pure a part, as you 
say ours is. Indeed, what you have taught me 
about the Catechism shows, that the Church of Eng- 
land goes to the Bible for every thing, and there- 
fore she cannot be wTong. I do hope that she will 
be watchful and faithful, and not become corrupt, 
or deserve to be destroyed, as those churches you 
named. 

Aunt. I trust so too, my dear ; and we ought 
often to pray for our church, that the hand of the 
ungodly may never prevail against her. I wuU 
give you some pretty verses about the Church of 
England, which you may learn, if you pleas*e : here 
they are. 



THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH, 101 



THE ENGLISH CHURCH. 

I love the altar of my sires, 

Old as my country's rocks of steel ; 
And as I feed its sacred fires, 

The present Deity I feel. 

\ 

I love to know that, not alone, 

I meet the battles' angry tide; 
That sainted myriads from their throne, 

Descend to combat at my side. 

Mine is no solitary choice, 

See here the seal of saints impressed : 
The prayer of millions swells my voice. 

The mind of ages fills my breast. 

I love the ivy mantled tower, 

Rock'd by the storms of thousand years ; 
The grave, whose melancholy flower. 

Was watered by a martyr's tears. 

The sacred yew so feared in wa^ 

Which like the sword to David given. 

Inflicted not a human scar. 

But lent to man the arms of heaven. 
9* 



102 THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH: 

I love the organ's joyous swell, 
Sweet echo of the heavenly ode ; 

I love the cheerful village beU, 
Faint emblem of the call of God. 

Waked by the sound, I bend my feet, 
I bid my swelling sorrows cease ; 

I do but touch the mercy-seat, 

And hear the still small voice of peace. 

Long be our Father's temple ours, 
Woe to the hand by which it falls ; 

A thousand spirits watch its towers, 
A cloud of angels guard its walls. 

And be their shield by us possessed ! 
Lord, rear around thy blest abode 
The buttress of a holy breast, 
The rampart of d^ present God ! 

By the Rev. J, W. Cunnirigham, 
Vicar of Harrow. 



SUNDAY EVENING XIII. 

" The forgiveness of sins ; the resurrection of the hody^ and 
the life everlasting, Amen.^^ 

William. You taught me to understand about 
the forgiveness of sins, dear Aunt, when you were 
explaining the New Covenant to me. I know how 
sin first came into the world ; by Adam's disobedience 
— and from that moment, every person was born into 
the world with a sinful heart. You told me also, that 
God hated even the least sin, (because he is so very 
good) and therefore, all sinners were to receive the 
punishment due to their sins, and that is death ; for 
the Lord had said, that if he eat of the fruit he 
should die. The death which they had most cause 
to fear, was the death of the soul, or its endless tor- 
ment. But God, besides being just, was very mer- 
ciful, and promised to send His own dear Son, (who 
was without sin) to bear the punishment instead, and 
die upon the cross, that sinners might be saved from 
eternal death. Have I remembered it rightly, God- 
mamma? 

Aunt. Very well indeed, my dear. It is owing 
then to Christ's death alone, that our sins can be 



104 THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS. 

forgiven. Are the sins of every person forgiven by 
Christ's death, William? 

William. Oh no ! but it is their own faults ; they 
will not believe in Hira. Persons who do not think 
themselves sick, will not take medicine, you know, 
though they may be very ill all the time ; and num- 
bers of persons will not come unto Jesus, because 
they cannot feel their need of Him. 

" The Resurrection of the Body.'" 

Aunt. W^e wdll now go on to the next article, 
AVilliam ; of this I told you a great deal, when we 
spoke of our Saviour's resurrection. 

William. Oh yes ! I remember about the but- 
terfly, and the grain of corn ; and you said that the 
very same bodies, which turn to dust when we die, 
will be all raised again, as they w^ere before, only 
more beautiful and lasting. The day after we had 
been talking about this, my dear mamma was so kind 
as to help me look in the Bible, for the accounts 
of all the persons who had been raised from the 
dead. (1.) Elijah raised the child of the widow of 
Sarepta. (2.) Elisha, raised the son of the Shuna- 
mite woman, and (3.) many years after Elisha's 
death, when a dead body was cast into his tomb, as 
soon as the dead man touched Elisha's bones, imme- 



. THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY. 105 

diately he revived and stood up. There were three 
raised by our Lord himself; (4.) The daughter of 
Jairus ; (5.) the son of the widow of Nain ; and (6.) 
Lazarus. 

Aunt. And my dear you must not forget, that 
our Lord raised himself from the dead. (7.) 

William. Yes, that was the greatest of all ; then 
there was Dorcas, (8,) who was raised by Peter ; and 
Eutychus, (9,) who fell down asleep during Paul's 
Sermon, and was taken up dead ; but St. Paul came 
down' and raised him to life. 

Aunt. Do you remember if any ever ascended to 
heaven with their bodies, and without dying? 

William. Yes, Enoch and Elijah; neither of 
them died, but are in heaven now with the same 
bodies they had on earth. Will both the wicked and 
righteous be raised from the dead ? 

Aunt. Yes ; every person who ever lived, both 
the "just and the unjust." Acts xxiv. 15. Our 
Lord's words are very particular on this subject. 
(John V. 28, 29.) The clearest verse relating to the 
resurrection in the Old Testament is, (Job xix. 25, 
26.) ** I know that my Redeemer liveth," &;c. &;c. ; 
but although the Old Testament saints were not en- 
lightened on this point, the saints under the Gospel 
have had it most clearly revealed to them ; so that, 
we may indeed say, that the belief in the Resurrec- 



106 THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY. 

tion of the body, is a privilege, which as members of 
Christ's church, we have cause to be thankful for. 

William. When will the dead be raised ? 

Aunt. Not before the Last Day. See John vi. 
39.— Matthew xiii. 39.— 1 Cor. xv. 52.-1 Thess. 
iv. 15-17; and this brings us to the last article of 
the Creed, 

" The Life Everlasting, Amenr 

This is also the last privilege which the church has 
to offer, for it brings her faithful members to the en- 
joyment of that happiness, which is to last forever, 
and which has long been the sole object of their de- 
sires. The everlasting life of the faithful, has in fact 
begun on this side of the grave, for their affections 
being fixed above, they look through the valley of 
death, to those regions, where their Lord is, and 
whither they would be also. 

William. It is a joyful thought, that there will 
be no end to their happiness ; all earthly happiness 
so soon comes to an end, that I cannot understand 
any thing lasting forever ; but will you let me find 
some texts to prove, that the happiness of believers 
shall be everlasting. 

Aunt. Psalm xvi. 11. — John iii. 36. — Gal. vi. 
8.-2 Peter i. 11.— Rev. vii. 15— 17.— xxi. 4. 

William (reads). O what beautiful texts ! they 



THE LIFE EVERLASTING, AMEN. 107 

make me long to go there. I have one dear uncle, 
and aunt, and two grandmammas, who have begun 
their everlasting life ; and some dear litde baby 
cousins too, who never knew sin. I mean their souls 
have begun it, for their bodies are not yet raised, you 
know. Will you show me a few more texts, de- 
scri ing the happiness they enjoy. 

Aunt. Dan. xii. 2, 3. — Matt. xiii. 43. — Rom. 
viii. 17, 18.— 1 Cor. xiii. 12. 

William (reads). Thank you, thank you. I 
will mark them all, they make me so happy ! But 
now, dear Aunt, I must ask about something that will 
make me sad. Will the wicked be miserable forever ? 
I know they deserve it, but it seems so shocking, to 
be suffering punishment forever and ever ! 

Aunt. God's justice must be exercised as well 
as his mercy ; and if any reject God's mercy, and 
make light of the death of his Son, they must reap 
that which they have sown. See Matthew, xxv. 46. 



PART III. 

OK THE COMMANDMENTS, 



SUNDAY EVENING XIV. 

First Commandment, 

William. Dear Aunt, what a beautiful evening 
it is ! Do you not think it would be very much 
pleasanter to sit out of doors in your pretty garden 
while we talk ? 

Aunt. Indeed I do, Willie, for it is very warm 
in the house, and the sight of the trees and flowers 
and the wonders of God's creation, ought to make 
us more thoughtful instead of less so. 

William. There is only one thing I am afraid 
will make me inattentive, if I sit with my face to- 
ward the pond, and a fish jumps, I do not think I 
could help calling out: <^'Look, look." 

Aunt. Then while we are talking, I think you 
had best sit the other side of the seat, where you 
cannot see the pond. 



FIRST COMMANDMENT. 109 

William. So I will ; I am going for my Bible, 
shall I bring yours too, Godmamma ? 

Aunt, Yes, my dear, and then you will follow 
me. 

William. There, now I am settled. We were 
to begin to talk about the commandments. *' To 
keep God's holy will and commandments," is the 
third thing which our godfathers and godmothers 
promised we should do. There are ten of them, 
Aunt, and they are found in the Bible in the 20th 
chapter of Exodus : — here it is. 

Aunt. They are also written in the 5th of Deu- 
teronomy, but they are quoted in the catechism from 
Exodus ; because in Deuteronomy, Moses is only 
repeating to the people what had taken place before. 
You must observe that God reminded the people of 
all they owed him, and of their obHgation therefore 
to keep these commandments by saying, *' I am the 
Lord thy God who brought thee out of the land of 
Egypt, out of the house of bondage;" and I am 
sure if the children of Israel were bound to obey the 
God who had brought them from earthly bondage, 
Christians have much greater cause to do so. You 
know what the Egyptian bondage was, Willie ? 

William. Oh yes, the word bondage means 
slavery, and the Israelites were used very ill by the 
Egyptians, being forced by their hard taskmasters to 
10 



110 FIRST COMMANDMENT. 

make bricks without having the proper materials 
given them ; they were obliged to wander about col- 
lecting stubble from the fields, instead of straw which 
should have been given them, and they were to make 
the bricks as quickly as if the straw had been pro- 
vided. But what bondage are Christians brought 
out of? for the catechism is written for us, you 
know. 

Aunt. The bondage of sin and Satan. The 
journeyings of the children of Israel in the wilder- 
ness, are a just type of the Christian's spiritual life. 
Moses the deliverer, represents the Lord Jesus Christ, 
who brino[S Christians from the bondacre of Satan and 
sin, leads them through all the difficulties and dangers 
of this world, (which is represented by the wilder- 
ness) bears with their murmurings and ingratitude by 
the way, and leads them to the promised land, their 
heavenly home. 

William. I did not know that was a type before, 
but it is a very clear representation. Christians are 
still bound to keep the ten commandments, for I re- 
member our Lord said, " I am not come to destroy 
the law and the prophets, but to fulfil." Matt. v. 17. 

Aunt. Our Saviour was trying to do away the 
false teaching of the Pharisees, who instructed the 
people that they were to attend more to tradition 
than to the written word of God. 



y 



FIRST COMMANDMENT. Ill 

William. What is tradition^ Aunt ? 

Aunt. That which we have learnt by the ear, 
which has been handed down to us by word of mouth. 
Suppose your papa had been told something by his 
father, which he had heard from his father before 
him, who had been told it by his parent, and so on 
for many generations back, — this fact, whatever it 
might be, and which your papa knows, would have 
come to him by tradition. 

William. Yes, I quite know what you mean, 
but surely the Pharisees were very foolish, and I 
think very wicked to prefer that^ to the written word 
of God, for you know people so often make mistakes 
in telling any thing, that we could never be sure that 
it was told in the right way, — while the Word of 
God must be true. 

Aunt. Therefore our Lord said to them, ** la 
vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the 
commandments of men. For laying aside the com- 
mandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men." 
Mark vii. 7, 8. Now, read, my dear, the account 
of the delivery of the Law on Mount Sinai, Exo- 
dus XX. 

William (reads). Oh! how very terrible it 
must have been, and how the people must have 
feared lest they should break the commandments ! 
Is it difficult to keep them, Aunt? for I thought that 



112 FIRST COMMANDMENT. 

only very wicked people broke the Sabbath, or swore, 
or committed murder, and none but the heathen would 
worship false gods. 

Aunt. You will think differently about them 
before we have done speaking of them ; you must 
remember that as Christians, we must take our Lord's 
rule for explaining them, and not judge ourselves by 
the exact words laid down in the commandments. 
If I were to tell you not to go out of the house, I 
should not think it necessary to say ' do not go out 
of the front door, or out of the back door, or out of 
the window,' one general command would be suffi- 
cient. David says to God, " Thy commandment is 
exceeding broad;" and our Lord intends us to take 
the commandments in all their breadth and extent. 
How were they placed on the two tables of stone, 
William ? 

William. The first four were written on one 
table, and the last six on the other table I suppose, 
at least that is how they are placed in church, though 
I do not know the reason. 

Aunt. Because the first four relate to God, and 
the last six contain our duties to our fellow creatures ; 
or, as our catechism says, "our duty to God, and our 
duty to our neighbour." 

William. Our Saviour taught us in the parable 
of the good Samaritan, that the word neighbour 



FIRST COMMANDMENT. 113 

in the sight of God, meant * every body.' The " duty 
to God and to our neighbour" in the catechism, con- 
tains an explanation of the commandments; but I 
never could make out the divisions for each command- 
ment. 

Aunt. I will try to mark them for you as we 
consider each. Now William, repeat the first com- 
mandment. 

William. " Thou shalt have none other gods but 
me." I should not suppose that men born in a 
christian land, would think of there being more than 
one God. 

Aunt. My dear, this commandment extends in 
its meaning to all who form any notion of the one 
great God, which is contrary to what we learn of 
Him in the Bible. It is as much broken by those 
who take from his greatness, majesty and power, by 
denying that He can change the heart of man, — or 
who deny his love in coming down on earth to save 
sinners, as it is broken by the heathen who in their 
ignorance multiply false gods. Those who will not 
own the Son and Holy Ghost to be distinct persons 
in one Godhead surely break the spirit of the first 
commandment. 

William. Are there any persons who deny that 
there is any God at all ? 

Aunt. I hope there are very few ; the Psalmist 
10* 



114 FIRST COMMANDMENT. 

speaks of such, Psa. xiv. 1, and calls them "fools." 
They indeed endeavour to deceive themselves, but I 
cannot believe that any person can die in the belief 
that there is no God. Persons who deny any God 
are called atheists, from a Greek word, a, not, Theos, 
God. 

William. How very shocking it is to think that 
the Jews, who were God's own people, were so in- 
clined to idolatry, that on every occasion they wor- 
shipped the gods of the heathen. 

Aunt. Their example should teach us not to 
depend upon ourselves, lest we also should forget the 
Lord "who has done such great things for us." Our 
country was an idolatrous country once, and our 
ancestors worshipped idols of wood and stone. 

William. Yes ; I remember papa took me one 
day to Stonehenge, on Salisbury plain, which he told 
me was supposed to be the remains of an idol's tem- 
ple. It was such a wonderful place, and every one 
looked so little by the side of the great upright stones ! 

Aunt. All false or idol gods are distinguished 
from the one true God, by their being impure and 
unholy, and teaching si7i instead of holiness, and as 
the invention of man we cannot be surprised at this, 
for you know that the thoughts of man's natural 
heart are only evil continually. Now we will see 
what the catechism says by way of explaining this 



FIRST COMMANDMENT. 115 

commandment. 1st, It tells us, we are to believe in 
God. 2ndly, We are Xofear Him. 3rdly, We are 
to love Him with all our heart, with all our mind, 
with all our soul, and with all our strength. 

William. Does all that belong to the first Com- 
mandment ? 

Aunt. Yes ; but in a measure to the second also, 
as to all the others which relate to God. Our duty 
in believing in God, we have considered in the 
creed ; the next part of our duty is Xofear Him. 

William. But why should Christians fear God ? 
If they are forgiven through Jesus Christ, they have 
no cause for fear, have they ? 

Aunt. Are you not afraid to offend your own 
dear parents and me, though you love us so dearly ? 

William. Yes, indeed I am. I suppose then 
we should always be afraid of displeasing those whom 
we love ? 

Aunt. Certainly ; and it is this child-like fear 
which springs from our love of God, that makes us 
keep his commandments. The wicked fear Godj 
because they cannot help thinking sometimes of future 
punishments, but their fear has no love with it, and 
therefore does not keep them from displeasing Him. 
The devils too fear God, for we read, the devils be- 
lieve and tremble (James ii. 19); but they have no 



116 FIRST COMMANDMENT. 

love but hatretl to Him, and belief and fear are of no 
good without love. 

William. Tell me, if you please, a few texts 
about fearing God as Cliristians. 

Aunt. Isai. viii. 13. Mat. x. 28. Luke xii. 5. 
Now as to the duty of loving God, I think you 
understand it a little, but perhaps you never thought 
how much love God expects from His people. 

William. " With all my heart, with all my mind, 
with all my soul, and with all my strength." Then 
I must love God more and better than any other 
person or thing. 

Aunt. With all the powers and affections of your 
body, understanding, and soul. 1 John iv. 19, we 
are told why we are so to love Him. 

William (reads). " We love Him because He 
first loved us :" and in the 10th verse, he says, 
" Herein is love, not that we loved God, (that means 
I suppose, that we did not love Him by nature,) but 
that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propi- 
tiation for our sins ;" and in John iii. 16, — *' God 
so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten 
Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not 
perish, but have everlasting life." When one thinks 
o{ this, it is no wonder we are required to love God 
so very much. But I am afraid I do not love Him 



FIRST COMMANDMENT. 117 

as He means me to love Him ; because I know that 
very often I vi^ould rather please myself than please 
God. Sometimes I am sorry not to stay up longer 
when I am sent to bed, and then I do not pray to 
Him in a proper manner, or think of what I am say- 
ing. Now, if I loved God with all my heart, I should 
have more pleasure in praying to Him, than in any 
amusement. 

Aunt. Thus you see, my love, you have broken 
the very commandment which you thought could be 
meant only for the heathen. 

William. Yes, indeed I have ; and I am almost 
afraid to go on, for now you will find 1 have been 
guilty of many more. 

Aunt. My dear little boy, suppose you had a 
very sore arm or leg, and because it would give you 
pain, you would not let the doctor touch it or even 
see it, — would it be wise to act thus ? If you covered 
it up, so that no one could see it, the sore place might 
spread and get worse, and perhaps you might die. 

William. Yes, I understand you, dear God- 
mamma, I would rather you should help me to find 
out my faults ; and I remember now, that " the blood 
of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin," and the Holy 
Ghost can purify our hearts, and guide us in the 
right way. So if you please, we will talk next time 
of the second commandment. 



118 SECOND COMMANDMENT. 

Aunt. Read these texts, and then we will take 
a turn in the garden before tea. Deut. vi. 5; x. 12. 
Josh. xxii. 5. Psa. xxxi. 23. 1 John v. 3. Jude 21. 



SUNDAY EVENING XV. 

Second Commandment, 

William. Is not this commandment very like 
the first, Godmamma ? 

Aunt. This is the difference between them; the 
first commandment teaches us who we are to wor- 
ship, the second instructs us in what manner we are 
to worship God ; namely, in the way the Bible di- 
rects us. We are not to use images or pictures or 
any other representation of God for such a purpose. 
Exod. xxxiv. 17. Lev. xxvi. 1. Psa. xcvii. 7. 

William. In the plain meaning of this command- 
ment, I cannot think that any but ignorant heathen 
people could think of kneeling down to images of 
God. 

Aunt. Alas ! my dear child, the corruption of 
man's heart is so great, that the moment he leaves 
the Bible as his guide, he is in error. Even men 
who are otherwise learned and wise have broken this 
commandment in its plainest sense. The Roman 



SECOND COMMANDMENT. 119 

Catholics so entirely sin against it, that being sensible 
how wholly it condemns them, some of them leave 
it out of the ten Commandments, saying it is only a 
repetition of the first ; and in order to make the 
number complete, they divide the last in two. 

William. That is a very wrong thing to do, but 
if they deceive men, they cannot deceive God. Do 
tell me what they do ? 

Aunt. Instead of always kneeing down to the 
invisible God, who is in every place at all limes, and 
approaching Him by Jesus Christ, who is at His 
right hand, they hang up pictures, and various images 
of our Saviour, and the other persons of the God- 
head, to which they say their prayers. But this is 
not all ; they worship the Virgin Mary, and en- 
treat her to ask favours of her Son for them, and ad- 
dress their prayers to dead persons belonging to their 
church, to whom they have given the title oi saints. 
Of these persons, they fix images or pictures in their 
houses and churches, and all who pass by are ex- 
pected to do them reverence. The images in the 
Roman Catholic chapels are often like your sister's 
dolls, dressed in silk, and ornamented with beads, 
lace, &c. Now we know that to worship saints 
either in heaven or on earth is a sin, from Col. ii. 
18, 23. Rev. xix. 10. 

William* Oh dear Aunt, how very bad our hearts 



120 SECOND COMMANDMENT. 

must be, to fall into such errors : and what a good 
prayer it is which our Lord taught us, "Lead us not 
into temptation, but deliver us from evil !" 

Aunt. Satan tempted our Lord to break this 
Commandment when he said to him. *' All these 
things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and 
worship me." From our Saviour's answer we may 
learn to resist similar temptations : " It is written, thou 
shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt 
thou serve." Matt. iv. 10. 

William. How does the Catechism explain this 
Commandment? 

Aunt. We are to " worship God, to give Him 
thanks, to put our whole trust in Him, and to call upon 
Him." Now we are to worship Him in spirit and in 
truth ; i. e. not only with the lips, but with the heart, 
John ix. 31. Can you tell me any persons in the 
Bible who worshipped God in a proper manner ? 

William. I think Hannah did, when she prayed 
to God with such earnestness, 1 Sam. i. 9, 19; and 
Zachariah in the temple, Luke i. ; did they not? 

Aunt. Yes ; and Cornelius, to whom Peter was 
sent, (in answer to his prayers,) to instruct him fur- 
ther, and baptize him. Acts x. The people of Eng- 
land who used to worship idols, were quite as igno- 
rant as the savages of Africa now are, they even 
offered up human sacrifices. 



SECOND COMMANDMENT. 121 

William. Did they indeed? What a blessing 
that God sent missionaries to ihem ! for I suppose that 
was the way in which our forefathers were taught. 

Aunt. Yes ; missionaries were sent by the same 
Roman Catholic Church, which has now become so 
corrupt. In the course of time the Roman Catholic 
Church established in this country became corrupt 
also ; but it pleased God to show many their errors, 
and the Church of England renounced these corrup- 
tions of the Church of Rome, protesting against them, 
—and therefore the Church of England is called 
a Protestant Church. The Scottish Church did the 
same, 

William. Was not that change of religion called 
the Reformation ? I think I have read about it in my 
English history during the reigns of Henry VIII., 
Edward VL, and Queen Elizabeth. 

Aunt. You are right. Now my dear, the Cate- 
chism tells us we are not only to pray to God, but to 
praise Him. Find me some texts which bid us 
to give thanks to God. 

William. The Psalms are full of praises. 
Psalm ix. 1. Psalm c. 4. 

Aunt. Look at the New Testament also, Phil, 
iv. 6. Col. iii. 15, and notice what St. Paul says of 
unthanHrul persons to Timothy, 2 Tim. iii. 2 ; num- 
bering them amongst the greatest sinners. 
II 



122 SECOND COMMANDMENT. 

William. In heaven the angels and saints are 
always praising God. Rev. iv. 8-11 ; v. 12-14. 

Aunt. The putting our whole trust in God, 
means that we are not to rely upon ourselves or any 
created being in any way ; we are not to depend on 
ourselves, for ** we cannot do any thing of ourselves 
to help ourselves," as one of our Collects says. We 
are very apt to put man in the place of God : — 1st, 
as respects our salvation, we do not wholly rest on 
the merits of Christ's death to save us, but we are 
willing to think that something we have done that is 
right, will help to save us, and that something we 
put in God's stead. 2d, We often in sickness rely 
wholly upon the skill of the doctor for our recovery, 
whereas it is God alone who can make the means 
succeed, and we by thus acting, place the physician 
in the place of God. 3rdly, If we are in trouble we 
depend for comfort and advice upon our minister or 
our dearest friend, and thus place them in God's 
stead. In short we make idols of our friends, of our 
children, and even of our money and goods if we 
set an improper value upon them ; so prone are we 
to forget the word of God which says, " I am the 
Lord, that is my name, and my glory will I not give 
to another," &;c. Isai. xlii. 8; and " I the Lord thy 
God, am a jealous God," Exod. xx. 5, meaning, *I 



SECOND COMMANDMENT. 123 

will not suffer my creatures to usurp the love and 
reverence which belong to me alone.' 

William. How often we all must break this com- 
mandment ! When I went yesterday with my uncle 
to that cottage where the poor woman lost her 
daughter, she said, " I never can be happy again, my 
poor child made all my happiness." Now, I fear, 
Aunt, she made an idol of her child, for God ought to 
have made her chief happiness ; and then, dear Aunt, 
there is such an awful punishment for those who 
sin in this way, not only to them^ but to their 
children's children. Is that quite consistent with 
God's justice, Aunt? 

Aunt. Quite so, my dear ! for the Lord does not 
in that place allude to spiritual punishments, for he 
expressly says, Ezek. xviii. 20, " The soul that 
sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the ini- 
quity of the father;" but God means that the chil- 
dren of ungodly parents shall share the temporal 
misery which their sins have brought upon them, so 
that parents may be led to " consider their ways," if 
not for their own sakes, for their children's sake. 
Seeing the inclination of even Christians to break this 
commandment, St. John concludes his first Epistle 
with these words, — "Little children, keep yourselves 
from idols." 
. William. We are also to " call upon" God. I 



124 THIRD COMMANDMENT. 

should think that those who trust in Him, would be 
sure to call upon Him. 

Aunt. Many profess to trust in God who do not 
pray in a proper manner, and many call on Him who 
do not really believe. Just mark the difference be- 
tween the calling of the believer on the true God, 
and the calling of the idolator upon his idol in 1 Kings 
xviii. We have this sure word of promise given us, 
** Call unto me and I will answer thee." Jer. xxxiii. 3. 

William. This is indeed very encouraging to all ; 
I hope I shall not forget what you have told me, but 
be more watchful for the future. 



SUNDAY EVENING XVI. 

Third Commandment, 

William. Oh dear Aunt, I thought of the third 
Commandment just now, for I heard some wicked 
children down the lane, taking God's name in vain in 
a shocking manner, and I called out to them and told 
them God would surely punish them, and they 
laughed and ran away ; they first called out " Lord, 
Lord," and then another said some dreadful words 
which I do not like to repeat. I once heard some 
great boys say it when I was walking with papa, 



THIRD COMMANDMENT. 125 

and he told me it was cursing and swearing, and that 
God was very angry with all who did so. 

Aunt. My dear, we ought not to be surprised 
that those poor children should behave thus, for I 
grieve to say they are brought up in sin, hearing their 
parents swear and take God's name in vain almost 
every time they speak. 

William. Then I suppose we ought to feel pity 
for such children more than anger, for if God had 
not given me good parents and friends, and taught me 
by His Spirit, I might have been just as bad as they 
are. But when I hear children saying such wicked 
things, I cannot help disliking them. 

Aunt. I would not wish you to desire to be in 
their company, for we are commanded to keep from 
the society of the wicked. David says. Psalm ci. 4, 
"I will not know a wicked person;" meaning, he 
would not make 2, friend of him. But how does 
God act towards sinners, my dear? Read John iii. 16. 

William (reads). It was a wicked world, full 
of wicked sinners, Aunt, yet God loved them so well 
that He sent His dear Son to them. I suppose then, 
we should love the sinners, and hate their sins. 

Aunt. Yes; we cannot hate sin too much, and 
the more we hate it, the more we shall wish that all 
sinners should be saved from it. Now repeat the 



11^ 



120 THIRD COMMANDMENT. 

third Commandment as it stands in the twentieth 
chapter of Exodus. 

William. " Th )u shalt not take the name of the 
Lord thy God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him 
guiltless that taketh His name in vain." How does 
the Catechism explain this, Aunt? 

Aunt. We are to "honour His holy name and 
His word." 

William. This commandment I suppose means, 
dear Godmamma, that we are never to mention the 
name of God, or any thing that belongs to Him, in 
speaking, or reading, or saying our prayers, without 
being grave and serious. 

Aunt. You are quite right. Another way of 
breaking the Commandment is by using foolish ex- 
clamations, names and expressions in our conversa- 
tion, — such as calling out "gracious," which can 
mean nothing but "Gracious God," although the 
name of God is dropped. All these expressions, are 
vulgar, and well brought up children, would not use 
them on that account ; but Christian children would 
not use them because they are offensive in the sight 
of God. And the saying *' upon my word," " upon 
my honour," when you wish to prove that any thing 
is true, is very different to our Lord's command 
about our conversation. Matt. v. 34-37. 

William (reads). I never thought of this before ; 



THIRD COMMANDMENT. 127 

no wonder the Psalmist prays that God will " keep 
the door of his lips, that he offend not with his 
tongue." But are there any more places in the Bible 
which speak of the sin of swearing ? 

Aunt. Very many. In the present day we may 
say as Jeremiah did, xxiii. 10, — " Because of swear- 
ing, the land mourneih ;" and St. James, who must 
have been present when our Lord gave the directions 
about swearing, repeats them again in nearly the same 
words, James v. 12. But this commandment is 
awfully broken by those who curse, that is, those 
who call down evil upon themselves and others by 
shocking wishes. Nothing seems so like the lan- 
guage of evil spirits as such expressions, indeed none 
but the Devil's own children would be guilty of this 
sin. St. Paul, speaking of the unconverted, says, 
** Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness." 
Rom. iii. 14. 

William. Our Lord says to his children, " Bless 
them that curse you." I did not feel inclined to bless 
those naughty boys who burst out laughing at me. 

Aunt. You must pray to Jesus Christ, my boy, 
to help you to overcome all unchristian feelings. 

William. I want to ask one more question. Is 
it always wicked to swear ? for I heard Papa say that 
Mr. Clifford, who I thought was a good man, was 
obliged to swear before a magistrate. 



128 THIRD COMMANDMENT. 

Aunt. To take a solemn oath, when desired by 
any person in authority, is allowable, and according 
to Scripture; for it is done to make the truth certain; 
and the Apostle to the Hebrews, vi. 16, says, "An 
oath for confirmation is the end of all strife." 

William. I do not quite understand the difference, 
dear Aunt, of the two kinds of swearing. 

Aunt. Suppose a barn were to be burnt down by 
some wicked person, and your uncle, the day before 
it happened, had heard a man talking to another be- 
hind a hedge, about setting fire to it; your uncle 
would of course have the man taken up, and brought 
before a magistrate. When brought to his triaU if 
he were found innocent he would, be set free, and if 
guilty he would be hung ; it would therefore be 
necessary to be very particular about the truth of each 
particular before the sentence was given, for which 
reason all the witnesses and your uncle amongst them, 
would be required to take the Bible in their hands, 
(thus declaring their belief in its truths,) and then to 
swear in a solemn manner in the presence of Almighty 
God, that they would say nothing more nor less than 
the truth. This is called in the courts of law, "wit- 
nesses being sworn." 

William. I understand it now, but I would 
rather not take any oath, although I see there would 



FOURTH COMMANDMENT. 129 

be no harm in it, if done in a solemn manner. Are 
there any instances of such oaths in the Bible ? 

Aunt. Yes, many. Our Lord himself was ad- 
jured or ** sworn" by the High Priest, Matt. xxvi. 
63, 64,— and St. Paul repeatedly in a solemn man- 
ner calls God to witness to the truth of what he 
affirms. 2 Cor. i. 23; xi. 31. Phil. i. 8. Next 
Sunday we shall talk of the observance of the Sab- 
bath. 



SUNDAY EVENING XVII. 

Fourth Commandment. 

Aunt. Repeat the fourth commandment, my 
dear. 

William. " Remember that thou keep holy the 
Sabbath day ; six days shalt thou labour, and do all 
that thou hast to do ; but the seventh day is the Sab- 
bath of the Lord thy God. In it, thou shalt do no 
manner of work, thou, and thy son, and thy daugh- 
ter, thy man-servant, and thy maid-servant, thy cat- 
tle, and the stranger that is within thy gates. For 
in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, 
and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day ; 



J 30 FOURTH COMMANDMENT. 

wherefore the Lord blessed the seventh day, and 
hallowed it." 

Aunt. Very well repeated, William. I hope 
you understand the meaning of what you have said. 

William. What is the meaning of the word 
Sabbath, Aunt? 

Aunt. It means ^^rest.^' It was first appointed 
you know when God had finished His work of 
creation, (Gen. ii. 3.) It was because God rested 
on the seventh day, that He blessed and hallowed 
it ; which means that He set it apart as a sacred and 
holy day for ever. The word to hallow, signifies 
" to make holy." 

William. But we do not keep the seventh day 
holy, Godmamma, Sunday is the ^rsi day of the 
week. 

Aunt. After our Lord's resurrection, he appear- 
ed twice to the assembled Apostles, on the first day 
of the week, (John xx. 19; xx. 26,) and since that 
period, the Christian Church has kept its Sabbath on 
the first instead of the seventh day ; and as one day 
in seven is what God required, the change of day 
cannot signify. 

William. I suppose this commandment begins 
with the word " Remember,'*^ because the children 
of Israel were apt to forget it. 

Aunt. After the first institution of the Sabbath 



FOURTH COMMANDMENT. 131 

at the creation, many changes took place in the world, 
much wickedness crept in, and between two and 
three thousand years passed away, before the com- 
mandments of God were delivered by Moses, so 
that by many persons doubtless the institution was 
entirely forgotten^ by others, only partly observed 
or wholly neglected, while a few, we may hope, 
such as Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, still " remem- 
bered the Sabbath day to keep it holy." 

William. Will you let me find out some texts 
which tell us we are to keep holy the Sabbath day ? 

Aunt. Exodus xxxi. 14. Lev. xix. 3. Deut. 
V. 12. Isaiah Ivi. 2. Jer. xvii. 22-27. In Num- 
bers XV, 32-35, you will find an awful instance of 
the punishment which the man received by the com- 
mand of God, who gathered sticks on the Sabbath, 
during the time that the Israelites were in the wilder- 
ness. 

William. That was indeed a terrible punish- 
ment, — though he might have done his work the day 
before ; but when our Lord blamed the Jews who 
found fault with his disciples for gathering ihe ears 
of corn on the Sabbath to satisfy their hunger, did 
he mean to say that the Christian Sabbath was not 
to be kept so stricdy as the Jewish ? 

Aunt. By no means ; they were to keep the 
Sabbath as a day of holiness and devotion, in short, 



132 FOURTH COMMANDMENT. 

as the Lord's Day and not their own; he only- 
wished to teach them that they were not to bind 
themselves with so hard and hurtful a bondage, as to 
refrain from works of necessity, charity or piety on 
that day. Hunger must be satisfied, though in a 
moderate manner, and so as to give the least possible 
trouble. An ox or ass which had fallen into a pit, 
must be pulled out, and not left to perish, a sick per- 
son was to be healed, one in temporal or spiritual 
trouble to be comforted. 

William. I understand then, we may do works 
of piety, necessity, or charily on the Sabbath. 
Washing and dressing as well as eating, would be 
works of necessity. As to dinner, my mamma 
always has cold meat on Sundays to save trouble to 
the servants. I suppose works of piety are reading, 
praying, and talking of religion. But can we talk of 
religion all day. Aunt? 

Aunt. My dear, you are not required to talk of 
religion all day, though I am quite sure of this, that 
the most advanced Christian is never so happy as 
when talking of his Saviour and the things he has 
done for his soul. But we must always remember 
that the day is not our own, therefore we have no 
right to talk of the things of this world more than 
necessity requires, and we must not do our own 
pleasure, nor say our own words, or think our own 



FOURTH COMMANDMENT. 133 

vain thoughts. Recollect what God said to those 
who bought and sold in the temple, (Matt. xxi. 12, 
13,) he would say the same to all who thought or 
talked of their worldly concerns on the Lord's day, 
whether in church or out of it. We ought not to 
consider the Sabbath as a toil, but as " a delight," a 
sweet day of holy rest, more like heaven upon earth 
than any thing else. How many pleasing duties 
there are to employ us on that day ! 

William. To employ clergymen. Aunt, but I do 
not see many employments for others, except reading. 

Aunt. The master and mistress of a Christian 
family have many sacred duties to perform ; — to 
instruct their servants, and see that they keep the 
Sabbath holy, and have as many opportunities of 
hearing the word as possible ; to talk to their chil- 
dren (if they have any) of Jesus and their Bibles, 
and to make the day a holy and happy day to them ; 
to encourage their elder children to teach in the 
Sunday Schools and to visit and read to the sick and 
infirm ; — these are works of charity. In the summer 
they may take their children into the garden or fields, 
and talk to them of God's love in giving them so 
much to enjoy, or in the winter they may all be seated 
with their Bibles round the table, and find out texts 
on given subjects, and ask questions of their parents 
or each other. Surely this is variety enough, and 
IS 



134 FOURTH COMMANDMENT. 

such variety as should be delightful to a Christian, 
young or old. 

William. Indeed it is ; and if we think thus of 
it, how tiresome it would be for week after week to 
pass away without a Sabbath. Papa says I shall 
have a class in the Sunday School when I am ten 
years old. Sometimes Harriet and I spend part 
of the Sunday in choosing hymns from a great 
many books which mamma lends us, and we read 
our favourites aloud, and fix on one to learn against 
the next Sunday, 

Aunt. But my dear William, do you always feel 
as if the Sabbath were a happy day ? Have you not 
sometimes felt it wearisome to you ? 

William. Yes, indeed I have ; for I long for the 
service to be over when I am hot and tired in church, 
and I turn over the leaves of the prayer-book to pass 
away the time, and do not listen to the sermon. And 
often when at home, I should like to read some of 
my story-books, and amuse myself as on a week- 
day ; yet sometimes I feel so happy on the Sunday, 
and wish every day was the same. 

Aunt. My dear boy, when you are tempted 
thus to sin against God, and to break His command- 
ments, you should feel very humble, for it is only 
God's Holy Spirit being in you, that can make you 
love to do His will, and enable you " to serve Him 



FOURTH COMMANDMENT. 135 

truly, all the days of your life." Read these texts, 
which will show how holy men amongst Jews or 
Christians kept the Sabbath. Exod. xvi. 26-29; 
xxxi. 14; xxxiv. 21. Neh. x. 31 ; xiii. 15. Luke 
iv. 16. Acts xiii. 14; xvi. 13; xviii. 4. 

William. Now, dear Aunt, I will repeat you a 
hymn which I have learnt on the Sabbath. Mamma 
told me it was written by the Rev. John Cun- 
ningham. 



THE SABBATH MORNING. 

Dear is the hallowed mom to me, 
When village bells awake the day ; 
And by their sacred minstrelsy, 
Call me from earthly cares away. 

And dear to me the winged hour 
Spent in thy hallowed courts, O Lord ! 
To feel devotion's soothing power 
And catch the manna of thy word. 

And dear to me the loud Amen, 
Which echoes through the blest abode, 
Which swells and ^inks and swells again, 
Dies on the walls, but lives to Gcd. 



136 FOURTH COMMANDMENT. 

And dear the rustic harmony 
Sung with the pomp of village art, 
That holy heavenly melody 
The music of a thankful heart. 

In secret I have often prayed, 

And still the anxious tear would fall, 

But on thy sacred altar laid 

The fire descends and dries them all. 

Oft when the world with iron bands 
Has bound me in his six days' chain, 
This bursts them like a strong man's hand. 
And lets my spirit loose again. 

Then dear to me the Sabbath morn. 
The village bells, the shepherd's voice, 
These oft have found my heart forlorn, 
And always bid that heart rejoice. 



SUNDAY EVENING XVIII. 

Fifth Commandment, 

Aunt. The fifth Commandment is the first on 
the second Table, and it is very rightly placed, as 
our first instructions are given by our parents. Will 
you repeat it ? 

William. " Honour thy father and thy mother, 
that thy days may be long in the land which the 
Lord thy God giveth thee." I am sure I ought to 
consider it a pleasure as well as a duty to keep this 
commandment, because it relates to my own dear 
papa and mamma. I do love them so very dearly, 
and think I would do any thing to please them now, 
and yet, owing (as you told me,) to my corrupt heart, 
I have often been cross and fretful when they desired 
me to do any thing that was contrary to what I 
wished. 

Aunt. If children could tell all that parents sufier 
for them, all their anxieties about their bodily health 
during childhood, all their far greater anxieties when 
they discover evil tempers, and the seeds of sin in 
the hearts of their little ones, — I sometimes think 
12^ 



138 FIFTH COMMANDMENT. 

they would try more to please their best earthly 
friends ; they would I am sure ask God more earnestly 
to change their naughty hearts, that their evil dispo- 
sitions may be brought into the obedience of Christ. 
But I think it is impossible for children to know all 
their parents have endured for them, till they become 
parents themselves. 

William. If they should then remember that they 
had been disobedient children, what could they ex- 
pect, but that their children should treat them in the 
same manner ? What does the Bible tell us about 
this commandment? 

Aunt. The word of God is very decided as to 
giving parents entire power over their children. Read 
Lev. xix. 3. Lev. xx. 9. The Bible you see gives 
every encouragement to parents in bringing up their 
children, and as this is the case, the law of Moses 
required that those who had not made their children 
obedient in early years, should themselves bear the 
weight of God's anger afterwards. Do you remem- 
ber any example of parents being punished because 
they had neglected to make their children obedient ? 

William. Yes, dear Godmamma ; God's own 
priest, old Eli. My Bible story says, that when his 
sons were very wicked, he did not insist on their 
giving up their evil ways, nor did he turn them out 
of their office, (for they too were priests of God's 



FIFTH COMMANDMENT. 1^ 

temple,) but he only said mildly to them, " Why do 
ye such things?" (I Sam. ii. 23, 24,) and then God 
told him by little Samuel that his two sons should 
die in one day, and all his family should be turned 
out of the priesthood. And it all came to pass, for 
on the day when his sons died in battle, poor old 
Eli fell from his seat and broke his neck. 

Aunt. It is an awful story, my dear child, — you 
may learn by this, that God Almighty expects your 
parents to make you obey them. 

William. Sometimes naughty rebellious thoughts 
come into my heart, and I suppose Satan puts them 
there, for you know it was Satan who first taught 
man to disobey God, and commit sin,— but generally 
I hope I do obey my dear papa and mamma, for 
I am very sure they never tell me any thing but 
what is for my good. Do tell me some texts for chil- 
dren to remember the duty they owe their parents. 

Aunt. Prov. i. 8, 9 ; vi. 20; xxiii. 22-25 ; xxx. 
17. And to show you that the Gospel urges this 
duty more strongly if possible than the Old Testa- 
ment, read these texts ; — Eph. vi. 1, 2. Col. iii. 20. 
Here we see our duty as Christians, and our Lord's 
example is very striking; for although he was 
** about his Heavenly Father's business," and greatly 
interested in the conversations he was holding with the 
learned men of Jerusalem, yet we read that when his 



140 FIFTH COMMANDMENT. 

parents came to seek for him, he went back directly to 
Nazareth with them, and " became subject to them." 

William. The text *' Train up a child in the way 
he should go," Sic. is often quoted, (Prov. xxii. 6,) 
what does it mean ? 

Aunt. It is taken from the comparison of a young 
tree or sapling, which while the wood is yet soft, 
and the branch tender, will take any shape which the 
owner pleases, but if left to itself, will lean on either 
side to which the wind may blow it. Thus children 
who are neglected when young, soon fall into evil 
habits and temptations. 

William. Once when I was disobedient, papa 
called me to him, and said in a very serious manner, 
' WilHam, I dare not disobey God, though you dare 
to disobey me : and he has commanded me to punish 
you if you do not obey me. See, God has placed 
the proof of my love to you, on my punishing you 
or not.' Then he showed me this verse, (Prov. xiii. 
24,) and afterwards whipped me ! Oh dear God- 
mamma, I was so sorry, not half so much for the 
pain of the whipping, (though that was very bad,) as 
because my dear papa looked so unhappy, and I felt 
that God could not love me. I am sure he whipped 
me because it was his duty, for he would gladly not 
have done it. Afterwards he wrote out some texts 
from the Bible about disobedience to parents, and told 



FIFTH COMMANDMENT. 



141 



me to learn them. The first was a very awful one, 
which till then I had never seen ; it was about the 
command given to the Israelite parents, to tell of the 
stubborn and disobedient conduct of their child to the 
rulers of the city, and the wicked child was to be 
stoned to death before everybody, that all that was 
evil might be put away from them, and the people 
hear and fear. Here it is, Godmamma, — Deut. xxi. 
18-21. 

Aunt. If the Christian laws were equally severe, 
how many children would be put to death ! and yet 
it seems very sad that we do not attend to the 
milder but still decided precepts of the Gospel, 
" Children, obey your parents in all things ; for this 
is well pleasing unto the Lord." Col. iii. 20. In 
the Epistle to the Ephesians, St. Paul says, " Chil- 
dren obey your parents in the Lord, for this is 
right ;" — meaning, that in all things we are to obey 
them, unless what they tell us to do is contrary to 
what the Lord commands us. We are to obey God 
rather than man ; but otherwise if according to the 
will of our heavenly Father, even should we our- 
selves dislike doing it, or think it unreasonable, we 
must remember the strict command of God. I say 
*' z^e," because the commandment is as binding upon 
me, as it is upon you. As long as I have parents to 
obey, I am bound (as the catechism says in speaking 



142 FIFTH COMMANDMENT. 



of the duty to our neighbour,) " to love, honour, and 
succour my father and mother." 

William. " Succour," mean|ito help them, I 
think Jesus Christ succoured, and Kvedand honoured 
his mother, when he asked John to take care of her, 
when he was on the cross. 

Aunt. Disobedience to parents is one of the 
worst tokens of wickedness, for St. Paul says, " In 
the last days, perilous times shall come ; for men 
shall be disobedient to parents." 2 Tim. iii. I, 2. 

William. Does any more of our duty to our 
neighbour relate to this commandment? 

Aunt. Yes ; all that part which speaks of obe- 
dience. We are to *' honour and obey the civil 
Authority, to submit ourselves to our governors, 
teachers, spiritual pastors, and masters, to behave 
ourselves lowly and reverently to all our betters." , 

William. What is meant by spiritual pastors? 

Aunt. God's ministers: the clergy who are ap- 
pointed by God to lead us to Jesus Christ, and 
explain to us the truths of the Gospel. Read 2 Cor. 
V. 20. 

William (reads). I am sure we ought to love 
and reverence them, for they are messengers from 
God. ** Ambassador" means ** messenger," mamma 
told me when I was reading my history of England. 
I am afraid I shall never be good enough to be God's 



FIFTH COMMANDMENT. 143 

messenger, though I should like it very much. It is 
thought a great honour for a person to be an ambas- 
sador from an earthly king, but what is that, to being 
" an ambassador for Christ?" 

Aunt. He can make the weakest fit for His ser- 
vice, and the reason that he employs weak men as 
His messengers, is, that the glory may be His alone. 
2 Cor. iv. 7. A minister's hfe must be one of anx- 
iety, watching, and prayer; for his business is to 
seek the salvation of souls : but the thought that it 
was the employment of his Lord and Master, and 
the promises of the Bible, must encourage and cheer 
him. See Dan. xii. 3.— 1 Cor. iv. 1. — 1 Thess. v. 
12, 13.— 1 Tim. V. 17.— Heb. xiii. 7, 17. 

William. Who are our " betters," Aunt ? 

Aunt. All who are older and wiser than our- 
selves, and all those whom God has placed in a rank 
above us. The young are by this directed, to be- 
have with respect to old persons. See Levit. xix. 
32. — 1 Peter v. 5. I think a child very thought- 
less and unfeeling, who continues his own noisy 
amusements in the presence of persons much older 
than himself, without stopping to think if it is plea- 
sant to them or not ; or who will be lounging on a 
chair or sofa, when perhaps there are grown up per- 
sons standing; — or, who would ridicule the infirmi- 
ties of old age. 



144 FIFTH COMMANDMENT. 

William. I am afraid I am sometimes so selfish, 
as to make a noise, when people wish me to be 
quiet; but I hope another time, I shall remember, 
that I am breaking the Fifth Commandment, and 
endeavour to behave kindly and respectfully to all. 
I am sure I love old people very much ; they are 
generally so kind to children. It was good old Si- 
meon who took Jesus up in his arms, and blessed 
him. I want to know one thing more, Godmamma. 
What land is meant in the promise at the end of this 
commandment? *' Thy days shall be long in the 
land, which the Lord thy God hath given thee." 

Aunt. It means the land of Canaan to which 
Moses was conducting the Israelites, and therefore 
can only in the first place refer to them ; but as Ca- 
naan when considered spiritually, denotes heaven, it 
is also a promise to true believers in all ages, that 
they who keep the commandments of their God> 
shall have an everlasting inheritance above ; but it 
more especially means, that those who obey their 
parents, shall enjoy many temporal blessings, of 
which the disobedient shall be deprived. 

William. I do not think a long life in Canaan 
could have been very happy ; for there was nothing 
but fighting and wars, and sin and idolatry were 
all around; but in heaven there will be *' no more 



SIXTH COMMANDMENT. 145 

Aunt. My dear child, this commandment has 
kept us a long time, and I fear you must be tired ; 
but as it relates more to children, than any other, we 
could not make it shorter, — -of the following ones, 
we shall have comparatively little to say, that would 
be suitable to children, or they will be so plain, as 
to need little explanation : we will then talk of seve- 
ral in one evening. Good night — God bless you ! 



EVENING XIX. 

Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Commandments. 

Aunt. You will not be much longer with me, 
my dear William, so we ought to make the most of 
our time. 

William. Oh ! then, do let us talk a little in the 
week about the Catechism, as well as on Sunday. 

Aunt. Well my dear, I am quite at leisure this 
evening, and we will begin at once. What is the 
Sixth Commandment? 

William. " Thou shalt do no murder." Mur- 
der, means killing a person, does it not? but I do not 
think that would always be called murder, Aunt ; 
for when Mr. Smith shot another gentleman who 
13 



146 SIXTH COMMANDMENT. 

was out shooting with him, he was not hung for it; 
and people are always put to death who commit 
murder. 

Aunt. KiUing any person is murder, when it is 
done wilfully and unlawfully. If by any accident, 
the death of another person is caused, it is not mur- 
der, as in the case you were speaking of ; nor is it 
murder, when any one is put to death by the law of 
their country for any crime — or if a person kills 
another in self-defence, or in fighting the batdes of 
his country. 

William. Had you not shown me, that the seeds 
of every sin are in my heart, I should have said, that 
I could not break this commandment. It seems such 
a dreadful crime. 

Aunt. See what our Lord himself, and the Cate- 
chism after Him, say about it. Matt. v. 21, 22. 

William. Jesus says there, that anger is the 
same as murder in the sight of God. At first, that 
seems impossible ; but when I think about it, anger 
must be the beginning of all murders. The murder 
of Abel arose from anger, and envy, and malice. 
The Catechism says, this commandment requires us 
"to bear no malice or hatred in our hearts." 

Aunt. Some time ago, the gamekeeper of a gen- 
tleman in this neighbourhood, was displaced from 
his ofiice for bad conduct, and another was put in 



SIXTH COMMANDMENT. 147 

the situation. From that hour, envy and malice seem 
to have taken possession of his heart, and after some 
months, he deUberately shot the new game-keeper in 
broad day light, and in the presence of others ; so 
careless did his anger make him of the consequences. 
Of course he was hung. But what a dreadful effect 
was produced by evil passions ! One soul hurried 
suddenly before his God; a wife made in one mo- 
ment a widow, and five children fatherless ; while 
the murderer himself publicly suffered the punish- 
ment of his crime, and left a wife and child to lament 
over the consequences of sin. 

William. Oh, what a sad story ! it is enough 
to make every one wish to be cured of evil tempers. 
The Catechism says also, that to keep this command- 
ment, we must " do no harm to any one by word or 
deed," so that to speak ill of a person, is a sort of 
murder. 

Aunt. Certainly. It is a most cruel and wicked 
habit, for it is killing his character, and perhaps in- 
juring him for life : an ill word is easily said of a 
person ; but when once said, it is not easily unsaid ; 
the next person adds to that word, until far more is 
made of it, than the first speaker ever intended. St. 
John says, (1 John iii. 15,) " Whosoever hateth his 
brother is a murderer," and we cannot love those we 
speak against. Another breach of this command 



148 SIXTH COMMANDMENT. 

ment, is by setting a bad example to others, and 
tempting them to do wrong ; this is murdering their 
souls, and is of far more consequence than the body 

William. I never thought of this before. How 
very wrong it is of me to give way to naughty tem- 
pers before my litde sisters, or ever to ask them to 
do that which I know would displease my dear 
parents ! Will you give me some texts about this 
commandment ? 

Aunt. You will find God's hatred of this sin in 
the following places : Gen. ix. 6. Exod. xxi. 14, 
Levit. xxiv. 17, 21. Numb. xxxv. 30-33; and that 
those who injure the souls of others, are murderers 
in God's sight. Read Prov. xxiv. 11, 12. Ezekiel 
iii. 18. Here are some Gospel rules which may 
keep us free from this sin. Matt. v. 9 ; v. 44. Luke 
iii. 14. John xiii, 34. Romans xii. 17-21. Colos. 
iii. 12-14. 

William. These are indeed beautiful texts, I will 
try to keep them in mind, that I may not again be 
quarrelsome, or unkind to my dear little sisters or 
cousins, or ever speak in anger to the servants or any 
body else. 

Aunt. There are many instances in Scripture 
which prove, that the breaking of one commandment, 
leads to the breach of another, and therefore it is 
almost necessary to speak of those of the second 



SEVENTH COMMANDMENT. 149 

table together. The next mentioned, is the seventh. 
" Thou shalt not commit adultery :" the meaning of 
which, as far as I can now explain it to you, is this. 
You know when God made Adam, He also made 
Eve, as a companion or ** help-meet for him ;" and 
ordained, that for the future, " a man should leave 
his father and mother, and cleave unto his wife, and 
they twain should be one flesh:" (Genesis ii. 24.) 
that is to say, that every man should love his v/ife, 
even as he loves himself, and better than any other 
human being; and every wife should feel the same 
towards her own husband. This was a most happy 
law, as all the laws of God are ; but the hearts of 
men are so rebellious, that they like not the laws of 
God : so that some men do not love their own wives, 
and some women do not love their own husbands, or 
love others better — this is the sin of adultery, and a 
very shocking thing it is. King David, who in 
other respects was so good a man, made God very 
angry with him, by this sin. He saw Bathsheba, 
the wife of his captain Uriah, and liked her better 
than his own wives, — for in those days people were 
permitted to have many wives; (Matt. xix. 8,) and 
in order that he might have her as his own wife, he 
gave commandment that her husband, Uriah, should 
be put in the front of the battle, that he might be 
killed by the enemy, which wicked thing was done ; 
13* 



150 EIGHTH COMMANDMENT. 

and thus David was guilty of both adultery and 
murder. 

William. Oh ! how sorry I am, that David should 
have been so wicked. Did God punish hifti ? 

Aunt. Yes, he sent Nathan the prophet, to tell 
him a parable, which you may read in the twelfth 
chapter of the 2 Sam. ; you will also find, that David 
bitterly repented of his sins, as we find also in the 
fifty-first Psalm, so that God spared his life, but 
caused his little baby to die, which was a great grief 
to him. What is the eighth commandment, William? 

William. "Thou shalt not steal;" and the 
Catechism says about it, " I am to keep my hands 
from picking and stealing." 

Aunt; That is not all it says : for all that relates 
to this commandment, is not put in the same place. 
It requires us to be " true and just in all our 
dealings — to learn and labour truly, to get our own 
living ; and to do our duty in that state of life, 
unto which it shall please God to call us." The 
Gospel tells us, (Ephes. iv. 28.— Phil. iv. 8.— 1 
Thess. iv. 11, 12.— 2 Thess. iii. 12.-1 Tim. ii. 2,) 
what is expected of us as Christians ; and we see by 
the explanation of the Catechism, that not only pro- 
fessed thieves are guilty of breaking this command- 
ment, (licvit. xix. 11, 13.— Zech. v. 3, 4.— 1 Cor. 
vi. 10. — 2 Cor. iv. 2,) but all who take the least 



EIGHTH COMMANDMENT. 151 

thing, that is not their own. (Mark x. 19. — 1 Thess. 
iv. 6.) Those who behave themselves unjustly, or 
try to cheat any one ; (Prov. xx. 17,) or who take 
advantage of the ignorance of others, in buying or 
seUing, by saying, that the thing they wish to sell, is 
better than it really is ; or that the thing they wish 
to buy, is bad, in order to get it for less money. 
(Levit. xix. 35,36; xxv. 14. Prov.xx. 14.) Those 
also who keep back from any one their right, or who 
borrow money, or other things, without any hopes of 
paying it again, fall under condemnation. Psalm 
xxxvii. 21. 

William. I am afraid, when I have any thing 
given me, to divide with my sisters, I do not do it 
always quite fdrly, but sometimes try to keep the 
largest bit myself; but I did not know it was so 
wrong. Sometimes when we have little friends to 
see us, and you let us have the travelling map, or 
spillikens or some other game to play with ; all the 
children do not behave quite justly, but jog the table, 
and try other unfair ways to get the game ; but we 
never do that, Godmamma, for it is very dishonoura- 
ble, and mamma tells us, we ought always to enjoy 
the game, quite as much, if we gain or lose it. 
Now I know why ii is so wrong, the next time I 
play with any children who do so, I will explain it 
to them. 



152 EIGHTH COMMANDMENT. 

Aunt. In all those childish games, if you find 
you cannot follow your mamma's advice, you had 
better not play at them at all ; for you will either sin 
against God, by losing your temper, or you may be 
tempted to be unfair, in order to win the game. 
Some children who are greedy'^ are tempted to take 
fruit, or cake, or sugar, when they think no one sees 
them; or if a cake is left in the room, although they 
would not take a slice of it, yet think there is no harm 
in picking out plums, or bits of sweet-meat, forgetting 
that "picking" is forbidden in this commandment. 

William. So it is, and as you said, that one sin 
leads to another ; so here greediness leads to steal- 
ing. I am sure it is very dreadful to think, how 
easily such little children as we are, commit sin. I 
wish we learnt to be good as easily as we learn to be 
naughty ; but I know it is owing to our wricked 
nature. Eve was first greedy you know, and then 
stole the apple, for it was God's fruit, and he had 
told her it was not hers. 

Aunt. If you try to be generous and kind to all, 
and remember our Saviour's rule, ** Whatsoever ye 
would, that men should do unto you, do ye even so 
to them," Mat. vii. 12, you will find yourself prepared 
to resist all temptation to this and many other sins. 
The Apostle's advice also to Timothy, (1 Timothy 
vi. 18,) will also be most useful ; for if we are " will- 



EIGHTH COMMANDMENT. 153 

ing" and "ready" to give to others, we shall not be 
sinfully careful of ourselves. Here are some more 
texts to show, how watchful a Christian should be, 
not to break this commandment. Ephes. iv. 28; 
Phil. iv. 8; 1 Thess. iv. 11, 12; 2 Thess. iii. 12; 
1 Timothy ii. 2. Another little rule I would give 
you : if any one lends you the least thing, be careful 
that you return it as soon as possible, having taken 
more care of it, than if it were your own. Never 
feel comfortable, until the borrowed article, whether 
valuable or not, is safe in the owner's hands, always 
feeling while you have it, that it is not your oivn, 
but another person's. St. Paul advises the Roman dis- 
ciples, to " owe no man any thing but love.^' Rom. 
xiii. 8. By this means, we should avoid the con- 
demnation of the Psalmist, (Psalm xxxvii. 21,) " The 
wicked borroweth, and payeth not again," (as before 
quoted,) which is direct thieving ; and also the sin of 
being in debt, which many think little about, except 
for the trouble it brings upon them. 

William. I hope I shall remember this; for I 
know it must be very wicked in the sight of God, to 
DC living in a grand way, and spending money whigh 
is not our own. 

Aunt. While we encourage a generous and 
benevolent feeling towards others, let us ** deny our- 
selves ;" and that which we give away, will be a far 



154 NINTH COMMANDMENT. 

greater pleasure to us, than if we had made no such 
sacrifice. 

William. I should like to learn to deny myself. 
May I give my pudding to day to the sick little child 
at the gate, and go without any myself? 

Aunt. Yes, my dear boy, and I hope you will 
find it a useful exercise, enabling you to keep your 
wishes in subjection. 



SUJNDAY EVENING XX. 

Ninth and Tenth Commandments. 

Aunt. Repeat the Ninth Commandment, Wil- 
liam. 

William. " Thou shalt not bear false witness 
against thy neighbour." To what does this relate, 
Aunt? 

*AuNT. To the sins of the tongue, my dear. St. 
James says, '* the tongue is a fire, a world of iniqui- 
ty:" read the whole description, (James iii. to 12th 
verse,) for the Catechism says, you are to "keep 
your tongue from evil speaking, lying and slander- 
ing." 

William (reads). That description makes the 



NINTH COMMANDMENT. 155 

tongue to be a great evil, if not properly managed. 
Can you give me some more texts ? 

Aunt. Psalm xxxiv. 13. xxxix. 1. James i. 
26. 

William. Thank you ; those texts speak of the 
general sin of making an ill use of the tongue, but 
I should like to talk of each particular part : evil 
speaking is first named ; does that mean saying evilf 
or bad words ? 

Aunt. No my dear ; that sin belongs (as we have 
already seen) to the third commandment. It means, 
that we are not to speak evil of others. 

William. I know that by '* our neighbour," we 
are to understand, all our fellow-creatures, but are we 
never to say, that others do wrong ? 

Aunt. Not unless the naming it could do any 
good. The Christian "rejoiceth not in iniquity," 
(1 Cor. xiii. 6,) but laments over sin wherever he 
finds it, and therefore unless the glory of God re- 
quire it, we must, as it were, cast a veil over the 
faults of others ; try to hide them, and make the 
least of them. We may in Christian love, warn per- 
sons of the faults of others, in order to keep them 
from the like sins ; but that is a very different thing 
from taking pleasure, in repeating those sins and 
faults. 

William. I am sure it would not be doing to 



156 NINTH COMMANDMENT. 

Others, as we should like to be done unto ; for no- 
thing is so trying to me, when I have been naughty, 
as to find others know it ; and yet, when Harriet, or 
one of my sisters has been in disgrace, either in the 
parlour or schoolroom, I have often gone into the 
nursery to tell the others of it : how WTong and un- 
kind it was of me ! for I felt very angry if they ever 
told of me. 

Aunt. This is the sin of '* tale-bearing,^^ which 
the Bible specially blames. Levit. xix. 16. Another 
sort of tale-bearing is, when for the purpose of get- 
ting another person punished, the " tale-bearer," or 
" tell-tale," as you would call him, exposes his fault, 
without being asked to do so, or from any sort of 
duty. The sin of backbiting, or speaking evil of 
others behind their back, is thus condemned in Scrip- 
ture. Psalm XV. 1-3; Rom. i. 30; James iv. 11; 
Titus iii. 2 ; Ephes. iv. 31 ; 1 Peter ii. 1. 

William. The next thing mentioned, is lying, 
I hope I never shall tell lies, for papa and mamma 
have taught us, that liars are the devil's children ; 
(John viii. 44,) and then, Ananias and Sapphira were 
both struck dead for telling a lie — and David said, 
he would not suffer a liar to dwell in his house. 
Psalm ci. 7. 

Aunt. I am very glad to find, my love, that you 
have such a dread of telling a lie ; for there are many 



NINTH COMMANDMENT. 157 

children, into whose hearts the Lord has not put the 
same fear, who think nothing about the sin of it, 
their hearts being by nature deceitful, as the Psalmist 
says. Psalm Iviii. 3. " As soon as they are born, 
they go astray and speak lies." The following texts 
show the Lord's abhorrence of liars, and His hatred 
of a lie, in which all His true servants unite. Prov, 
xii. 19-22; Micah vi. 12, 13; Zech. viii. 16; 
Ephes. iv. 15, 25; Colos. iii. 9; Rev. xxi. 8, 27. 

William. What is " Slandering," Aunt ? 

Aunt. Slandering, is evil-speaking, and lying 
joined together — speaking against another, when what 
is said of him, is untrue. Many people, when re- 
peating any report to a person's injury, make more 
of it, than had been told them, and thus make their 
neighbour in the eyes of others, more sinful than he, 
really was. The account is repeated again, with 
fresh additions, and thus these slanderers have the 
power of injuring at once, their own souls, and their 
neighbour's character. That the Lord condemns 
this, is plain from Scripture, Psalm ci. 5 ; Prov. v. 
18; 2 Pet. ii. 11. 

William (reads). I should fear that much harm 
was done in breaking this commandment, because 
it is often broken, I am sure, without thinking 
about it. 

14 



158 NINTH COMMANDMENT. 

Aunt. You should early accustom yourself to 
avoid tale-bearing, or telling of others' faults, unless 
for some special good — be careful how you repeat 
what you have heard, and to whom you repeat it. 
To your parents you may tell any thing ; for you 
ought to hide nothing from them, unless you told it 
from a wrong motive ; but never speak of other per- 
sons' faults to your companions, brothers, or sisters, 
or to the servants : and often reflect, if what you are 
going to say, can do harm to any one ; if so, be silent. 
Remember w^hat is said of great talkers, Pro v. x. 19, 
and read these passages, 1 Cor. xiii. 4-7 ; 1 Peter 
iii. 9, 10. When speaking of the tliird command- 
ment, I explained to you about witnesses being sworn 
in a court of justice. Now, if any witness swears 
falsely^ he breaks this commandment in a most 
shocking way, for he solemnly calls on the Holy 
God, to bear witness to the truth of what he says, 
while all the time he is wilfully swearing to a lie. 
This is called the sin of perjury. 

William. Dear Godmamma, that is very dread- 
ful. I hope God will keep me from breaking this 
commandment for the future, either in heart or 
w^ord. 

Aunt. I trust He will, for "out of the abun- 
dance of the heart, the mouth speaketh." Let us 



TENTH COMMANDMENTi 159 

remember also/ that our church teaches us to pray in 
the Litany, '* for all our enemies, persecutors, and 
slanderers,^^ and that he would "turn their hearts." 

William. Now we are come to the Tenth and 
last commandment : " Thou shalt not covet thy 
neighbour's house ; thou shalt not covet thy neigh- 
bour's wife, nor his servant, nor his maid, nor his 
ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is his." I often 
hear of people being covetous, but thought it was 
the same as greediness. 

Aunt. So it is in a great measure. There are, 
as you see, a great many ways of being covetous. 
The word "/o covet, ^^ means, to anxiously wish for, 
or desire, things that are not ours, and which we 
have no right to expect. This wishing for them is a 
sin of itself, and the breaking of this commandment, 
leads more perhaps than any other, to breaking all 
the rest: I mean principally those of the second 
table, though it is connected with the others also; 
especially the fourth, for how often does a wish for 
some wicked, and unlawful pleasure, lead people to 
keep away from the Church, and break the Lord's 
day? 

William. But how can it cause a person to 
break the fifth ? 

Aunt. Coveting or wishing for any thing, which 
their parents think it wrong for them to have, or 



160 TENTH COMMANDMENT. 

which they cannot give them, is often the cause of 
children's disobedience; and then I have heard of 
parents, who have been neglected by wicked children 
in their old age, because those children coveted what 
their parents possessed. But I hope such instances 
as the last, are very rare. % 

William. The first is very common. Mamma, 
I think I can explain how it causes people to break 
the sixth commandment. Suppose a man has a 
great deal of money, and a wicked neighbour covets it ; 
after wishing for it a long while, and thinking a great 
deal about it, he determines on getting it, and that he 
may not be found out, he first murders the rich 
man, and then steals his money ; so that he breaks 
both the sixth and the eighth commandments. 

Aunt. In the same way, the seventh is broken, 
for if a person attended to the command, " Thou 
shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife," he would not 
think of taking her. So in the ninth, the covet- 
ing of any thing leads to telling lies, in order to ob- 
tain it; thus Gehazi, 2 Kings v. 20. There are 
many such instances recorded in Scripture : Achan's 
sin of stealing began by coveting. Joshua vii. 20, 
21. Saul disobeyed God, owing to it. 1 Sam. xv. 
9. David broke the sixth and seventh command- 
ments, owing to it. 2 Sam. xi. 2, 3. Ahab mur- 
dered Naboth, because he coveted his field ; and 



TENTH COMMANDMENT. 161 

Balaam was led by the love of money, to go to curse 
God's people. Judas betrayed his master for thirty 
pieces of silver. Matt. xxvi. 13. 

William. What a dreadful list of crimes, from 
what seems the small sin of wishing I 

Aunt. As we have before observed, great things 
grow out of little ones. A child by looking wish- 
fully at a cake or apple, at a cherry-tree, or box of 
money, may soon persuade himself, that there is no 
harm in taking some ; that it will never be missed — 
that the owner has plenty— that he will not care 
about it : and then when discovered, it is easy to tell 
a lie. Oh my dear child, guard against the Jirst 
temptations to sin. See God's anger at this sin. 
Psalm X. 3. Isaiah Ivii. 17. Micah ii. 2. Hab. 
ii. 9. Matt. vi. 19—24. Luke xii. 15. 1 Cor. 
vi. 10. Ephes. v. 5. Heb. xiii. 5. James i. 14, 
15. There is one Christian virtue which is a great 
safeguard against this sin ; I mean contentment. 
"Be content with such things as ye have," says the 
Apostle to the Hebrews, xiii. 5; and if we are so, we 
shall not be looking and wishing for anything else. 
If we are discontented, it seems as if we thought we 
could do better for ourselves, than God has done for 
us, and we are unhappy, and make others so. Read 
1 Timothy vi. 10. Philip, iv. 11. 

William (reads). I know contented people are 
14# 



162 TENTH COMMANDMENT. 

very happy, for mamma took me one day to see 
old Martha Deans : she is very old and infirm, and 
poor, and has no one to live with her ; and she has 
only gruel for breakfast, and dry bread for dinner, 
and gruel for supper; and she told mamma, "she 
did not want any thing but a more thankful heart, to 
praise the Lord for all his mercies to her." 

Aunt. You may be sure, that she was really 
happy, for nothing but the Holy Spirit in her heart, 
could make her feel thus. We have now talked over 
all the commandments, dear William, what do you 
think of them? 

W^iLLiAM. Oh, I am quite sure, they are very 
difficult to keep ; indeed no one could keep them, 
unless God taught them, and enabled them to do so ; 
and I suppose that very few people keep them always. 
How is that? 

Aunt. " Through the weakness of our mortal na- 
ture, we cannot always stand upright," as our Church 
says ; but the Christian will bitterly lament his sin- 
fulness, and like Peter, when he feels himself sink- 
ing, will stretch out his arm to Christ, saying, "Lord 
save, or I perish." Jesus is ever near, ready to 
help those who are fallen, and wash away their sin 
in his blood. But remember, the Bible is our rule 
of life, and, as St. Peter says, 2 Peter ii. 21, " it had 
been better not to have known the way of right- 



TENTH COMMANDMENT. 163 

eousness, than after you have known it, to turn from 
the holy commandment delivered unto you." You 
are now going home to your dear*parents, my child, 
and I pray to God, that your visit to me may, by 
His blessing, not have been in vain ; but that you 
may show by your actions, that you understand the 
walking in God's holy will and commandment, better 
than you did. Without prayer^ you cannot succeed, 
but who is so fit to explain to a child, the importance 
of prayer, as a pious mother? Your dear mamma, 
therefore, will explain the Lord's Prayer to you. 

William. Thank you, thank you, dear God- 
mamma, for all you have taught me ; 1 shall often 
look over the passages which I have marked with 
you in the Bible, and think of all you have said. 



PART IV. 



SUNDAY EVENING XXI. 



PRATER. 



William. Dear mamma ! my Aunt said she 
knew you would explain the Lord's Prayer to me ; 
when will you be so kind as to do it? 

Mamma. This evening we will talk about it, if 
you please, my dear boy. I am very glad, and so is 
your dear papa, to think that you are more anxious 
to be taught what is right than you used to be. You 
bear reproof with a more patient and Christian spirit, 
and are more gentle and kind to others. 

William. I am very glad you think so ; but it 
seems to me, I am always breaking one or the other 
of the commandments, and falling into sin. My 
godmamma told me, thsii prayer must be my helper, 
so I should hke to know more about prayer than I 
do. 

Mamma. You have been instructed in much that 
as a Christian child you should believe and do ; and 
you feel that of yourself you can do none of these 
things, nor walk in God's commandments, nor serve 



PRAYER. 165 

Hini without His special grace, as the catechism 
says. 

William. Mamma, I do not quite understand 
what is meant by God's special grace, though I 
think my Aunt told me, that ^^grace*^ means 

Mamma. So it does, William. A favour you 
know is something granted to one who has no claim 
to it. Now you know we do not deserve any of 
God's blessings, therefore, they are all **o/ graced 
God does not owe us any thing hut punishment. 

William. Yes, mamma, but if we believe in 
Jesus Christ, and are joined to him, as a branch to 
the vine, we have a right to ask through Him for 
every favour. 

Mamma. True, and therefore we are told that as 
Christians, we must ask for God's special favour to 
enable us to perform His holy will and command- 
ments. ^'SpeciaV^ means ^'particular. ^^ We are 
to ask for that particular favour which we most need, 
not only the general favour which God bestowed when 
He sent His Son to die for the sins of the whole 
world, but that which He bestows when He saves 
each one of us ; also when He gives to each person 
the assistance he requires, in fulfilling his peculiar 
duties. 

William. It is by God's Holy Spirit, is it 



166 PRAYER. 

not, Mamma, that all Christians are assisted? I know 
too, that we must obtain Christ's Spirit by praying 
for it, for Jesus Christ says when speaking of earthly 
fathers giving good things to their children, upon 
their asking for them, " How much more shall your 
heavenly Father give His Holy Spirit to them that 
ask Him ! " but, dear mamma, I do not know how 
to ask God properly, — either I am thinking of 
something else while I am praying, (which you 
know is so wicked, and making a mock of God,) or 
I feel that I am saying what I do not quite under- 
stand, or I feel that my prayers are too childish to 
offer to thd Great God. 

Mamma. My love, when you want your dear 
papa to give you any thing, or to do any thing for you, 
how do you ask him ? 

William. When I wish very much for it, I ask 
him over and over again, and say, "Pray do let me 
have it, dear papa, I do love you so much, and I am 
sure you love me, don't refuse me this once." 

Mamma. And if your papa is busy writing or 
speaking to any one, and does not attend to you, 
what then ? 

William. Oh I wait patiently for a better 
opportunity, and then ask again. 

Mamma. But suppose your papa says, " I have 
been thinking of it, AVilliam, but I am sure if I grant 



PRAYER. 167 

your request, you will injure yourself or some one 
else ; it will not be good for you, / foresee some- 
thing that you do not. 

William. Why then, I ought to feel sure that 
papa knows better than I do, and that he would have 
given me what I asked, had it been good for me. 

Mamma. It is just in this way that God's children 
should act towards their heavenly Father. Ask for 
what you want with the greatest earnestness, feeling 
you really want it, and come to God and speak to 
Him as a dutiful and affectionate child would to an 
earthly parent ; if he does not at once grant your re- 
quest, ask again and again ; use ^''diligent prayer" 
as the Catechism says, and if He does not grant it 
at all,^ rest satisfied that He would have done so, 
had He not foreseen that it would be hurtful to you. 

William. Thank you, dear mamma ; I will try 
to remember this, when I pray to God either at 
Church or at home. I know why the Church 
prayers have nearly always the name of Jesus at the 
end ; — because Christ said, "Whatsoever ye shall ask 
the Father in my name, He will give it you," John 
xvi. 23. 

Mamma. Yes, my dear, it is only through Christ 
you know, that we have any right to pray to God 
at all. Had not Jesus had compassion on sinners, 
none could have dared to speak to the most High 



168 PRAYER. 

God whom they had offended. See John xiv. 6. 
Ephes. ii. 18. When we pray through Christ it is 
by the assistance of His Holy Spirit. Romans viii. 
26. 1 Cor. xiv. 15. Ephes. vi. 18. The Bible 
tells us of five things which are necessary to make 
our prayers acceptable. 1. Sincerity; we must 
really mean what we say. Read Jer. xxix. 13. — 
2. Humility ; we must feel how unworthy we 
are to approach God. Psalm ix. 12. — Faith; we 
must firmly believe God's power and willingness to 
hear us. Matt. xxi. 22. Mark ix. 24. — 4. Ferven- 
cy ; we must ask with all our hearts. Rom. xii. 11. 
James v. 16. — 5. Perseverance ; we must not be 
weary of asking. Rom. xii. 12. Eph. vi. 18. 

William. Thank you, mamma ; I have found 
them all out, and marked them in my Bible. Now 
will you tell me how many different kinds of prayer 
there are. Public prayer is worshipping God in 
Church, 2j[\di private prayer, at home, is it not? 

Mamma. You are right as to public prayer, which 
is the worship of God amidst the congregation of his 
people. Public forms of worship were in use among 
the Jews, for this purpose, as they are in the Church 
of England. The IsraeUtes had a form of thanks- 
giving when they offered the first fruits of their ground. 
Deut. xxvi. 3 — 15. See also Solomon's prayer, 
1 Kings viii. 54 — ^6. David's prayer, when the 



PRAYER. 169 

ark was brought back, 1 Chron. xvi. 7—36. Jehosha- 
phat's prayer when his country was invaded, 2 Chron. 
XX. 5 — 13. A form of prayer was used when the 
foundation of the second temple was laid, Ezra iii. 10, 
11. Tlie whole multitude were praying without at 
the time of incense. See Luke i. 10. Peter and John 
went to the temple at the hour of prayer, Acts iii. 1 . 

William. There are a great many examples in- 
deed that God appointed public prayer, and also that 
the Jews used to pray in public according to a written 
form. What is the next kind of prayer? 

Mamma. 2. Social prayer ; which means, wor- 
shipping God in our families, or with our friends. 

William. Such as, when you have the servants 
and all of us into the study of a morning, and the 
servants again in the evening when we are gone to 
bed ; and papa reads the Bible and then prays ; — and 
sometimes the school teachers and the missionary 
collectors come here, and papa prays with them. 
Are not both these what you mean by social prayer ? 

Mamma. Yes, my dear; and these texts will 
prove that such prayers are well pleasing to God. 
Matt, xviii. 19, 20. Acts i. 14; xii. 12. Jesus 
used to pray with his disciples also, Luke ix. 28. 
The third kind of prayer, is private prayer ; the 
worship of God in secret, when we pour out our 
hearts to Him who is ever ready to hear us, though 

15 



170 PRAYER. 

our fellow beings would not be able or willing to help 
us. Our blessed Lord himself set us a frequent ex- 
ample o^ private prayer. Mark i. 35. Luke xxii. 44. 
The instances recorded in the Bible in which God 
has answered private prayer, are too numerous to tell 
you of at once, but you can find out a few, and it will 
be a nice employment for you and your sisters some 
wet Sunday, to find out the rest. Abraham, Gen 
xvii. 18, 20. Eliezer, Gen. xxiv. 12, 56. Moses, 
Exod. xvii. 11. Hannah, 1 Sam. i. 10, 11, 27. 
Daniel, vi. 10. 22. Cornelius, Acts, x. 2, 4. St. 
Paul, 2 Cor. xii. 8. 

William. Oh ! what nice examples those are ; I 
am sure they make me wish still more to pray so that 
God should listen to me. 

Mamma. You know that Jesus Christ in compas- 
sion to his disciples taught them how to pray ; (See 
Matt. vi. 8, 9.) so that we, if his disciples, must pray 
in the same manner. 

William. But Jesus did not mean that we should 
say only the Lord's prayer, when we are praying, 
did he? 

Mamma. Certainly not. He says, ^' J9fter this 
manner, according to this manner, " pray ye ;" that 
it is to be as a pattern to us, by which we must make 
all our prayers. We must never ask any thing, that 
would be contrary to the spirit of this prayer, nor 



PRAYER. 171 

must we omit to ask for the blessings which are con- 
tained in it. The Lord's prayer can be used in public, 
social, and private prayer, and none could be more 
suited to the wants of all persons. 

William. How many parts do you divide the 
Lord's prayer into ? 

Mamma. I think it divides itself into three* 

1st, The Introduction. 

2nd, The six petitions, 

3rd, The conclusion. 

We shall not have time this evening to begin the 
first part, therefore you shall read the collect for the 
iOth Sunday after Trinity, and then these pretty 
verses on Prayer. 

Prayer is the soul's sincere desire^ 

Uttered or unexpressed, 
The motion of a hidden fire, 

That trembles in the breast. 

Prayer is the burden of a sigh, 

The falling of a tear : 
The upward glancing of an eye, 

When none but God is near. 

Prayer is the simplest form of speech, 

That infant lips can try : 
Prayer, the sublimest strains that reach, 

The majesty on high. 



172 OUR FATHER WHICH ART IN HEAVEN. 

Prayer is the Christian's vital breath, 

The Christian's native air ; 
His watch word at the gates of death, 

He enters heaven by prayer. 

James Moj^tgomert. 



SUNDAY EVENING XXII. 

ON THE lord's PRAYER. 
Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed he Thy Name. 

Mamma. Tell me, my dear, what is the Intro- 
duction to this prayer ? 

William. " Our Father which art in heaven," is 
it not, Mamma ? 

Mamma. Yes, and you can tell me by what right 
you call God "Father?" 

William. Because Jesus Christ here tells us to 
do so, I suppose ; but I know he would not have told 
us to do it, if he had not made the way plain for us, 
having procured our pardon, and by his death brought 
us near to God. My dear godmamma talked about 
this in the first part of the catechism ; she also said, 
that by saying " Our Father" in this prayer, Jesus 
Christ owned us as his brethren. 



OUR FATHER WHICH ART IN HEAVEN. 173 

Mamma. I am glad to find you recollect what 
you have been taught. We shall find a great many 
scripture proofs that God is our Father. 1st, By 
creation; He made us, and therefore He is the 
author of our being. See Mai. ii. 10. Acts xvii. 28. 
1 Cor. viii. 6. 2ndly, He is our Father by regenera- 
tion, or the new birth ; when we are born again, or 
our hearts are changed by the power of the Holy 
Spirit, we become God's spiritual children. 1 John 
iii. 2 ; v. 1. 1 Peter i. 3, 4. 3rdly, He is our Father 
by adoption. You know what adoption means, 
William ? 

William. Yes, Mamma ; — when a person takes 
the children of another into his family, and considers 
them as his own. 

Mamma. Well, the great God took us from being 
the children of wrath, and made us His children, seeing 
that Christ had taken away our sin. Deut. xxxii. 6. 
Rom. viii. 15, 16. Gal. iii. 26. 1 John, iii. 1. 
Now think of the way in which your own dear papa 
treats you, and then we will compare it with God's 
dealings with us. 

William. Papa loves me, and is so kind to me, 
and gives me all I want. 

Mamma. God's children receive the most tender 
love and kindness from Him ; (see Jer. xxxi. 20,) 
15* 



174 OUR FATHER WHICH ART IN HEAVEN. 

and that he provides for all their wants, see Luke, 
xi. 13. 

William. My papa punishes me, when I deserve it. 

Mamma. So does the Lord punish His children. 
Deut. viii. 5. Heb. xii. 6. 

William. Papa is very sorry to punish us, and 
when we are sick or unhappy, he pities us very 
much. 

Mamma. Read Psalm ciii. 13. You see God 
feels the same towards His children. Now tell me 
what conduct is expected from a child ? 

William. Love, honour, and obedience, as the 
fifth commandment tells us. 

Mamma. Then how much more should God's 
children show love, honour, and obedience to their 
Father, who is in heaven. Again, children bear a 
likeness to their parents, and God's children must all 
bear a likeness to Him, His image must be on their 
hearts. He says, (Lev. xi. 44,) " Ye shall be holy, 
for I am holy :" — and our Lord says, " Be ye perfect, 
even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect," 
Matt. v. 48. 

William. I was thinking just now, mamma, that 
the word " owr" might perhaps have been used, to 
show that there should be communion and love, 
amongst the saints on earth. 



OUR FATHER WHICH ART IN HEAVEN. 175 

Mamma. You are quite right, ray dear boy; a 
Christian must not be selfish^ even in religion ; when 
praying, we are to think not only of ourselves, but 
others, indeed of all the world ; and we must ask 
God to bring all home to Him ; but we are especially 
bound to pray for that part of Christ's body which is 
on earth. 

William. Mamma, why are we to pray to God 
in " heaven ?" He is in every place, and can hear 
us at all times and places. 

Mamma. Heaven is more especially God's throne, 
where He is surrounded by all His glory, and Majesty, 
and attended by myriads of angelic beings. When an 
earthly sovereign receives petitions from,' or grants 
favours to his subjects, it is when he is seated on his 
throne of state, and decked with all his pomp and 
splendour, so that all who behold him give him the 
respect and submission due to him. Our Lord in 
teaching us to address God as " our Father who art 
in heaven," meant us to remember the great majesty 
and power of Him to whom we are speaking. While 
we speak of His being in heaven, we are to humble 
ourselves by the thought that we are upon earth. 
Our feeling in addressing the Almighty God should 
be that of Abraham, — Gen. xviii. 27. Eccles. v. 1, 2. 

William. The catechism explains the Lord's 
Prayer as well as the Commandments, but as I do 



176 OUR FATHER WHICH ART IN HEAVEN. 

not quite understand the different parts, I wish you 
would make it clearer while we are talking about it. 

Mamma. I will, my dear. The Father is there 
spoken of, ** as the giver of all goodness." This He 
truly is ; and because He is so, we ask Him for all 
the good things we want. The three first of the 
six petitions relate to God's glory, and are thus de- 
scribed as what we " desire of the Lord God our 
heavenly Father," namely, ** to send his grace unto 
us, and to all people, that we may worship Him, 
serve Him, and obey Him as we ought to do." The 
three last petitions relate to our necessities, seeking for 
our own good, and that of all the human race. 

William. As we have time this evening, may 
we begin the petitions, mamma ? 

Mamma. Yes, my dear. The first is, 

^^ Hallowed he thy NameP 

William. " Hallowed" means sanctified or made 
holy, 'for that was explained to me in the fourth Com- 
mandment. But how can we make God's name holy ? 
It is holy in itself, mamma. 

Mamma. You are right ; and we cannot add to 
His holiness, or take from it. But, as we are said 
to glorify God, when we acknowledge or praise His 
glory, and to bless Him, when we own Him as the 



HALLOWED BE THY NAME. 177 

giver of all blessings, — so when we speak of His 
holiness, and make mention of His name and all be- 
longing to Him in a devout and reverential manner, 
we are said to hallow His name. 

William. It is very like asking, that we may 
keep the third Commandment. 

Mamma. But it not only means our speaking of 
God's name in a devout manner, but our earnest de- 
sire, that God should be reverenced in all His words 
and works ; and viewing Him under His different 
titles, we pray that all the world as well as ourselves 
may delight to honour Him in them. Mention some 
of the Lord's titles, William. 

William. Jehovah, — I Am, — The Lord of 
Hosts,— The God of Israel,— The Almighty,_The 
Creator, — The Father. 

Mamma. You must remember that God must be 
hallowed as the blessed Trinity, as Father, Son, and 
Holy Ghost. 

William. Oh yes ! or we should indeed be tak- 
ing from Him the honour due unto His name. He 
is .Jesus, — the Saviour, — Christ, — the Redeemer, — 
the Lamb of God, — the Word, — the Holy Spirit, — 
the Comforter, and many others. What texts can 
you give me to prove that God's name is to be hal- 
lowed ? 

Mamma. Psa. xcvi. 7, 8 ; cxlviii. 13 ; Isaiah 



178 HALLOWED BE THY NAME. 

viii. 13; xxix. 23; 1 Pet. iii. 15. We must not 
only feel ourselves that God is a mighty, true, just, 
merciful, all-seeing, all-knowing God, our Redeemer, 
our Saviour, our Sanctifier, — but we must earnestly 
desire, that all may consider Him as such, — that 
those who have not yet known Him, may by His 
grace acquire this blessed knowledge, whether they 
are only the outward members, the dead branches of 
Christ's visible Church, or whether they are of the 
heathen, to whom His Holy name has never been 
proclaimed. 

William. I was thinking, mamma, that as you 
said the petitions of the Lord's Prayer partly related 
to God and His glory, and partly to ourselves, — they 
really ask of God to help us keep the ten command- 
ments, which contain our duties to God, and to our 
fellow-creatures. 

Mamma. You are right, my dear, for as you have 
been told, you cannot keep any of the command- 
ments without God's special grace, which is only to 
be obtained by diligent prayer, we will consider the 
next petition another time ; but before we part, I 
must tell you there is one place in which God's name 
is always hallowed, and there are some beings who 
never cease to glorify Him. 

William. I know what place you mean, — hea- 
ven, mamma ; die beings you speak of are I think 



HALLOWED BE THY NAME. 179 

the beasts mentioned in the Revelations, (iv. 8,) 
who " rest not day and night, saying, holy, holy, 
holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and 
is to come." 

Mamma. The word beasts ought there to be 
translated ^^ living creatures ;^^ a fit name for the 
holy angels who were created by God, and never 
having sinned, are not subject to death, and doubt- 
less it means some particular order or degree of an- 
gels, but their rank we cannot tell. The members 
of Christ's redeemed Church, who are in heaven, 
delight to honour and glorify the name of God, and 
therefore the members of Christ's Church on earth 
must do so likewise. That you, my dear boy, may 
show yourself to be a true member of that Church, 
by ever hallowing God's holy name, is my earnest 
prayer. 



SUNDAY EVENING XXIII. 

CONVERSATION I. 

Thy kingdom come, thy will he done on earth as it is in 
heaven, 

William. I cannot tell what is here meant by 
God's kingdom ; for I thought that His kingdom is 
• every where, nor can I tell the meaning of our de- 
siring it to come. I am quite ashamed of not under- 
standing what I say so often, it is like making a mock 
of God I fear. 

Mamma. The kingdom of God about which we 
are taught to pray, is not the kingdom over which 
God rules as Creator and governor of tlie world, but 
it is the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ; the sub- 
jects are those which he purchased with his own 
blood, who have been converted by his Holy Spirit, 
and who are the members of His body on earth, and 
in heaven ; — they form a part of the kingdom of grace 
here, and of glory hereafter. 

William. Those who are only outward mem- 
bers, do not belong to Christ's kingdom, do they ? 

Mamma. It is certainly true that all who remain 
until death only visible or outward Christians, will 



THY KINGDOM COME.' 181 

not afterwards be owned by Christ as His in the 
kingdom of glory ; but we are told in the parable of 
the tares, not to separate the wheat from the tares 
until the harvest, lest in pulling up the weeds we 
should also root up the wheat with them; so we 
must not presume to say what portion of Christ's 
Church, or which of its members, belong to the 
kingdom of grace or not. Go to the book-case, 
William, and bring me the 4th vol. of those books 
in brown covers, with "Archbishop Leighton's 
Works" printed on the back ; I will read you what 
this good man says about the kingdom of God. 

William. Do mamma; I know papa is so fond 
of that book, for I often see him reading it. 

Mamma. After saying that * the kingdom signifies 
the Church,^ he adds, 'the Church is the Jewel m 
the ring of the world : in it He (i. e. God,) hath 
His peculiar residence, and chief delight, as kings 
choose one of their palaces .... to dwell in, more 
than another.' 

William. That means that God loves the Church 
better than all the world besides. 

Mamma. Yes; the Church taken as a whohy 
both its outward and spiritual members. Hear what 
Leighton says ; — « The visible Church is but a little 
parcel, a kingdom chosen out of the world ; but the 
truly godly, who are alone the subjects of the inward 
16 



182 THY KINGDOM COME. 

kingdom of grace, are but a small part, a choice 
part of the visible church, as it is a choice part of the 
world.' 

William. Does he not mean, that it is better to 
belong to the outward Church, than to be amongst the 
open unbelievers or heathen, but that it is far better to 
be of the spiritual Church of Christ. 

Mamma. Just so ; and you see it would be very 
wrong to speak of the outward members of Christ's 
Church as if they were no better than unbelievers or 
heathen in the sight of God. Leigh ton adds, ' the in- 
ward kingdom of grace, is the way and preparation 
for that of glory, and the outward kingdom of grace 
in the visible Church, is the means and way of intro- 
ducing, and establishing, and increasing the inward ; 
so that both of them look forward to the kingdom of 
glory.' Vol. iv. p. 68. 

William. I suppose that many are passing every 
day from the outward to the inward kingdom of 
grace ; as the people pass by the outer court into the 
house. 

Mamma. Yes, my dear; and it is for an increase 
of their number that we offer this petition in the 
Lord's Prayer, " may thy kingdom comCy^^ or ap- 
proach, or advance. We desire that those who have 
not professed the name of Christ, may be admitted 
into his Church, and own themselves the subjects of 



THY KINGDOM COME. 183 

Christ their King ; that those who have acknowledged 
themselves to be such, may (by the Spirit of God,) 
be brought to a willing subjection, and gladly submit 
to Him in all things ; and that while the kingdom of 
Christ is thus increasing upon earth, His people may 
greatly increase the numbers of His Church above. 

William. But is not that like praying that good 
people may die, mamma ? 

Mamma. The whole glory of Christ will not be 
perfected until the number of Christ's saints (his 
whole body) is completed. We do not ask for the 
death of good people, but only, that as all must die, 
those who are taken, may tend to increase His king- 
dom, instead of adding to the number of those who 
belong to the kingdom of Satan. 

William. I am sure, mamma, it is an excellent 
prayer, I hope I shall pray earnestly for it in future, 
for I have never prayed for it yet. We ought, too, 
to think it the best of all things, to pass from God's 
kingdom of grace here, to that of glory, and see Him 
face to face. Will you tell me some texts about those 
who pass from the state of sin, to that of grace ? 

Mamma. Rom. v. 21. Col. i. 13 ; and here are 
some relating to the coming of Christ's kingdom of 
glory. 1 Thess. iv. 16-18. 2 Thess. i. 10. Rev. 
xxii. 20. Remember, my dear, that the surest way 



184 THY ^yILL be done on earth, 

to fulfil this petition is, for Christ's kingdom to be 
established in each of our hearts ; let us often examine 
if we are His true subjects, living in a willing obe- 
dience to His commands, and endeavouring to spread 
His kingdom upon earth, by forwarding as far as we 
can, the designs of those who are seeking to convert 
the heathen, to the knowledge of the Saviour. 

William. I should like, dear mamma, to save up 
some pence when I have any, and put them in the 
plate, when a missionary sermon is next preached in 
the church. 

Mamma. Do, my love ; for besides the good 
which you may be doing for the poor heathen, you 
would most likely learn to value more the blessings 
which belong to God's kingdom. Which is the third 
petition of the Lord's Prayer ? 

William. " Thy will be done on earth as it is 
in heaven." I suppose that the members of Christ's 
kingdom on earth, should desire to serve God in the 
same manner, as those who are in heaven. But 
mamma, how can they do God's will, as well as it is 
done in heaven ? 

Mamma. It does not say " as well," William, but, 
" as it is done in done in heaven ;" meaning, accord- 
ing to, in like manner," " after the same pattern." 
When Jesus said, " Be ye perfect, even as your 



THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH, 185 

Father which is in heaven is perfect ;" he did not mean 
that we could be as perfect as God, or as holy as 
He is. 

William. OH no ; it is something like copying 
copper-plate writing. The more we try, the more our 
writing resembles it ; but we could never do it as well. 
In what manner is God's will done in Heaven ? 

Mamma. It is done universally and perfectly. 
Psalm ciii. 20. Jill the commandments of God are 
kept, and none omitted. Now we^ (like David, 
Psalm cxix. 6,) should have respect unto all God's 
commandments: we cannot, while on earth, keep any 
perfectly ; but so far we may imitate the inhabitants 
of heaven, as not to keep one commandment and omit 
another, according to our own wayward fancies. 

William. I should think, that the saints in heaven 
were cheerful and happy ^ in doing the will of God ? 
Mamma. That may be considered the second way 
in which God's will is done in heaven ; for in the 
Revelations we are told, (Rev. iv. 10, 11,) how readily 
and joyfully they owned their obedience to their king, 
casting their crowns before Him, and singing His 
praises. Another way in which angels and saints per- 
form God's will, is by doing it in unison, which means 
all in one — every saint and angel unite in doing his 
will. Now my dear William, God's will is not often 
done on earth in this manner : instead of cheerfully 
16* 



186 AS IT IS IN HEAVEN. 

submitting to God's will, how often do people mur- 
mur and complain at what they call hardships, and 
when they do comply with his commands, because 
they think it is their duty, they do it as a task, and 
not as David did, w^ho said, (Psalm xi. 8,) " / rfe- 
light to do thy will, O my God." Again, how dif- 
ferent is the harmony of heaven, to the jarrings and 
disputings we hear on earth, even among God's 
people. Many who boast themselves of being living 
members of His church on earth, instead of quietly 
doing God's will, each in his own station, employ 
their time and thoughts in wondering why their bro- 
ther does not understand the command in the same 
way that they do ; and thus divisions are caused, and 
the kingdom of God diminished, and not increased. 

William. What a pattern of obedience and sub- 
mission, Jesus Christ should be to us ! for you know, 
when he was praying in the garden, before he was 
taken by the Jews, he said, " Father, if thou be will- 
ing, remove this cup from me, nevertheless, not my 
will, but thine be done." Luke xxii. 42. 

Mamma. Archbishop Leighton says, that our own 
will we must give up wholly into God's hands, * to 
be as a piece of wax, pliable to what form He will, 
to do with it what He will.' 

William. Will you tell me some Scripture ex- 



THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH, 187 

amples of submission to God's will, besides our Sa- 
viour ? 

Mamma. When Nadab and Abihu were struck 
dead for offering strange fire, Aaron, their father, held 
his peace. Levit. x.* 1-3 ; also, 1 Samuel, iii. 18, 
where Eli, when told of God's judgments on account 
of the wickedness of his sons, said, "It is the Lord, 
let Him do what seemeth Him good." 2 Samuel, 
XV. 26. Job i. 21. Acts xxi. 14. James iv. 7, 
and do not forget the promise, Rev. xxii. 14, made 
to those who keep God's commandments. 

William. But we have only a right to the tree 
of life through Jesus Christ, who bought it for us. 

Mamma. It means, that unless we keep His com- 
mandments, we cannot belong to Christ, or have any 
right to the blessings he has prepared for us. And 
here we will stop for this evening. 



SUNDAY EVENING XXIV. 

CONVERSATION III. 

" Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our ires 
passes, as we forgive them that trespass against usJ^ 

William. To-night we are to begin the first peti- 
tion of the Lord's prayer, that relates to our own 
wants, and those of all the human race : " Give us 
this day our daily bread." I always thought, mamma, 
that this meant, a prayer for as much food as would 
do for one day, and that we were not to ask for more ; 
that we might not forget to pray eveiy day — and we 
might forget, you know, if we put off praying any 
longer. 

Mamma. True, my love, that is one reason why 
we are to ask for our " daily bread," for we are much 
more apt to remember our temporal, than our spiritual 
wants. But it is also called, our daily bread, to show, 
that we depend upon God from day to day. We 
are not to ask for food in advance, or desire more of 
it, than is sufficient for our present wants ; for if we 
asked for a large supply, so as to wish to hoard it up, 
it would seem as if we were afraid we should get no 



GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD. 189 

more. This would be like the Israehtes in the wilder- 
ness, when manna was sent them from heaven. Do 
you remember? 

William. O yes ! It fell every day early in the 
morning, except on Sundays, and the people were to 
gather enough for the day, but no more ; and those 
who disobeyed and gathered more than they wanted 
in the day, found it all spoiled and useless. But on 
the day before the Sabbath, they were all to gather a 
double portion, and then it did not spoil. 

Mamma. It reminds me of a poor woman who 
earned her bread, by keeping donkeys, and letting 
them out to hire at a watering place in the neighbour- 
hood. Her two children had the care of them. The 
church being at a great distance, many people hired 
donkeys to go to it, and many more made the Sunday 
a day of pleasure, and hired donkeys for their excur- 
sions. But this good woman, would never let her 
donkeys go to the town on that day, as her children 
would have been kept from the Sunday School, and 
she would have broken the Fourth Commandment, 
which forbids the cattle working ; and on being asked, 
if she did not lose a great deal by it, she replied, " God 
takes care of me all the week, and I won't distrust 
him for Sunday." 

William. What a pretty story ! and a true one 
too, Mamma ! I am sure God provided for her ; and 



190 GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD. 

I hope her children will be as good as she is. I sup- 
pose, mamma, we are to ask for breads to show that 
we are contented with whatever God gives us, and 
be thankful, as old widow Dean is, with her crust 
and gruel. 

Mamma. Yes, my dear ; and not only contented 
with regard to our food, but every thing else that re- 
lates to our body ; for this petition includes all our 
temporal gifts. There are many texts which teach 
us to be contented. Prov. xxx. 8. Mat. vi. 31-33. 
1 Tim. vi. 6, 8. There are many also to show, that 
God will provide for all who trust in Him. Ps. 
cxxxii. 15. Isa. xxxiii. 16. Prov. x. 22. Ps. xxxvii. 
3. 1 Peter v. 7. But this petition must also be 
understood in a spiritual sense, for the Catechism 
explains it, by saying, " I pray unto God, that He will 
send us all things that be needful, both for our souls 
and bodies." We must daily pray, that our souls 
may be fed with spiritual food, even the Word of 
God ; Jesus Christ, the true bread, which came down 
from heaven ; and this is of more consequence than 
the other, as you will see by these texts. Matt. xvi. 
26 ; iv. 4. John vi. 27. 

William. Thank you, mamma ; but can we ever 
ask for too many spiritual blessings ? 

Mamma. No, William ; moderation is only re- 
quired, with regard to our bodies ; our souls can 



FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES. 191 

never be satisfied on earth, with their food, and we 
ought never to be weary of asking for fresh and large 
supplies. Read 2 Cor. ix. 10, 11, which contains a 
description of the food which is to supply both bodies 
and souls. 

William. The next petition is, " Forgive us our 
trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against 
us." Trespasses mean sins^ do they not, mamma ? 

Mamma. Yes, William. St. Matthew, (vi. 12,) 
calls them "our debts," meaning, what we owe to 
God, In this petition, we ask mercy and pardon for 
our souls ; we feel our need of forgiveness, that we 
are lost without it, and that it is only through Jesus 
Christ, that we can obtain it. But, through Him, the 
believer is sure of finding favour in the sight of his 
Heavenly Father, therefore he does not hesitate to 
ask Him (as the Catechism explains it) " to be merciful 
unto us, and forgive us our sins." 

William. I know a verse in the Psalms (xxxii. 1) 
which says, that the man is " blessed whose trans- 
gressions are forgiven, and whose sin is covered." 
Can you give me some more texts about forgiveness ? 

Mamma. There is one in Acts iv. 12, and another, 
1 Pet. ii. 24. You know that we all daily require 
forgiveness from our heavenly Father ; therefore we 
should daily ask for it ; for if persons are really sorry 



192 FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES, AS WE 

for their faults, they will not rest until they have 
asked for, and obtained forgiveness. 

William. Yes, mamma, I am sure I am never 
happy if I have made you or dear papa angry, until 
you have pardoned me. But this petition says, 
" Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that 
trespass against us.^^ Does this mean, that if we 
forgive any one who has offended us, God will for- 
give us our sins against Him? If that is the case, I 
am sure my little sister Bessie might expect to have 
her sins forgiven, for she always forgives every body. 
But I do not think it means that, because you know 
it is ** the blood of Jesus Christ alone which cleanseth 
from all sin." Will you explain it to me ? 

Mamma. No my dear, there is none other name 
whereby we can be saved;" our own works have 
nothing to do with it. It means, that unless we for- 
give others, we cannot expect that God will forgive 
us : for an unforgiving spirit is contrary to Christ's 
example, we could not be members of His body, and 
possess it. 

William. Yes, I know that Jesus Christ prayed 
for his murderers, and said, "Father, forgive them, 
for they know not what they do." 

Mamma. It would be very unlike a Christian 
then, to bear malice or hatred to our fellow-sinners, 
with such an example before our eyes. If we cannot 



FORGIVE THEM THAT TRESPASS AGAINST US. 193 

forgive our neighbour, we cannot hope for forgiveness 
from our God. 

William. Dear, dear mamma ! I am so sorry, 
I have been so wicked. • • . Do tell me what to 
do? 

Mamma. What have you done, William ? 

William. I was playing the other day, with Mr. 
Gray's little boy, and he was rude and unkind, and 
teased me so much, and at last he ran all over my 
flower bed, and spoilt my new seeds, which were 
coming up; and I told him, "I hoped he never 
would come here again, for I never could forgive him, 
and I have never liked to think about him since, I 
dislike him so. 

Mamma. Dear William, I am very sorry, and 
hope you are too ; you cannot say the Lord's Prayer 
in a proper manner, if you feel like this — neither 
can you expect forgiveness of God, if you are not 
willing to forgive little James. 

William. I see that, I know it now ; but how 
can I forgive him? 

Mamma. Read over Matt, xviii. from verse 21 to 
the end. 

William (reads). Oh dear mamma ! I am ready 

to forgive him now, for how little is the offence 

James has committed against me, when compared 

with all my sins in the sight of God — and how much 

17 



194 



FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES, &C. 



Jesus Christ suffered, and yet He forgave ! I will 
run down to Mr. Gray's to-morrow, if you will let 
me, and ask James to forgive me, for being angry 
with him. May I ask him to come here again some 
day, just to show% that I really have forgiven him, 
though I do not think him a pleasant playfellow\ 
Perhaps it might have partly been my own fault, for 
I did provoke him, I owm. 

Mamma. You shall do so, my dear, and if little 
James comes here again, 1 hope you will try to act 
as a Christian child. I do not allow him often to 
come, for he is not taught, I fear, to avoid the sin of 
selfishness, nor to act according to the rule, " What- 
soever ye would that men should do unto you, do ye 
even so to them." But he has lost his mamma, and 
his papa is always so busy, that we must pity more 
than blame him. But do not forget, my dear boy, 
when you go to bed, to ask pardon for this your sin, 
through Jesus Christ's blood, and to say with all 
your heart, " forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive 
them that trespass against us." 



I 



SUNDAY EVENING XXV. 

n CONVERSATION IV. 

« Lead us not into temptation, hut deliver us from evil, for 
thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever 
and ever, AmenP 

William. God does not tempt men to do what 
is wrong, mamma ; that is the devil's work. What 
then does the sixth petition mean ? 

Mamma. No, God does not tempt any man, (see 
James i. 13, 14,) but He permits us to be tempted, 
in order that we may be proved or tried. Do you 
see that pretty china vase, on the chimney piece ? 
When that was made, it was put into an oven or fur- 
nace, which had been heated very hot, and kept in it 
for a certain time. Had it cracked during this trial, 
it would have been a proof, that it had not been per- 
fectly made, and was not fit for use ; there must have 
been some flaw or fault in it, which the fire disco- 
vered, and which would have shown its worthless- 
ness. Thus, our heavenly Father, (wishing to make 



196 LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION. 

US " perfect in every good word and work to do His 
will, working in ns, that which is well pleasing in 
His sight," Heb. xiii. 21,) sends us trials of different 
kinds, or permits temptations to assail us, that our 
faithfulness may be clearly seen. 

William. What is the difference between a 
temptation, and trial ? 

Mamma. Sometimes the word temptation in the 
Bible, means trial, Gen. xxii. 1 ; but, it commonly 
means, God's permitting us to be placed in such a 
situation, as would oblige us by our conduct in it to 
show, if we are His children or not. For instance, 
we were speaking last Sunday of your quarrel with 
little James : had God thought it best. He could 
have hindered your meeting with him at all, or have 
prevented his acting as he did ; but as a trial of your 
temper, He left James to speak according to his own 
perverse nature, and left you exposed to the tempta- 
tion. Had you thought that you were in danger, and 
lifted up your heart to God to " keep you from fall- 
ing," (see Jude 24,) all the temptation would have 
been in vain, and by God's help you would have 
overcome sin and Satan. 

William. If I could but keep in mind, that Satan 
is always on the watch to lead us into sin, how care- 
ful I should be. It was Satan who seeing Job was 



LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION. 197 

an upright man, tried to make him sin against God ; 
and it was Satan who tempted St. Peter, to hinder 
our Lord from saving men, for Jesus reproved him 
when he tried to persuade him not to go up to Jeru- 
salem to be put to death, and said, (Matt. xvi. 23,) 
** Get thee behind me Satan: thou art an offence to 
me ; for thou savourest not the things that be of God, 
but those that be of man ;" and afterwards Peter fell 
into a still greater temptation by denying his Saviour. 
I wonder why Jesus permitted his own disciple to be 
so tempted. 

Mamma. It was to show Peter the weakness and 
sin of his own heart, and to cure him of its natural 
pride and self-conceit ; for when forewarned that he 
would deny his master, instead of asking Jesus to 
keep him from committing such a sin, he said in his 
own strength, *' Though I should die with thee, yet 
will I not deny thee." Matt. xxvi. 35. 

William. I remember papa told me, that St. 
Peter never spoke so confidently of himself again ; 
for after Jesus was risen, and had appeared to Peter, 
He asked him three times, '' if he loved him ? and 
Peter humbly said, "Thou knowest that I love 
thee." 

Mamma. Here then you see, my dear, why God 
permits us to be tempted; but we must not ask for 
temptations, as we know not if our faith may at the 
17* 



198 LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION. 

time rest Ifirmly on God, and we ought constantly to 
feel the truth of that text, *' Let him that thinketh he 
standeth, take heed lest he fall." The Scriptures 
are full of awful lessons respecting those who have 
fallen under temptation, and many of those are God's 
own people. David fell into temptation, when he 
committed the sin of taking Uriah's wife, and mur- 
dering her husband, 2 Sam. xi. ; and again, when 
tempted by Satan to number Israel, 1 Chron. xxi. 1. 
Achan saw the Babylonish spoils, and stole them. 
Josh. vii. 20, 21. Judas was tempted by the love 
of money, to betray his master. Matt. xxvi. 15. 
Ananias and Sapphira were tempted to lie unto the 
Holy Ghost. Acts v. 3. The following texts will 
show, that the Lord tries his people in mercy to 
make them what they ought to be. Deut. viii. 2-16; 
xiii. 3 ; Luke viii. 13 ; James i. 12 ; 1 Pet. i. 6, 7. 

William. I see now why we ought to leave 
even our trials in God's hand, only asking Him to 
deliver us out of them. The Catechism explains this 
petition, by saying, we are to pray, " that it would 
please Him to save and defend us from all dangers, 
both of soul and body, and that He will keep us from 
all sin and wickedness," and thus all sorts of trials 
and temptations are included. 

Mamma. Yes, and especially we pray to be de- 
livered *'from our spiritual enemy," who is Satan. 



LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION, 199 

see Ephes. vi. 11. 1 Pet. v, 8. 1 John, v. 18. 
Although he is the greatest of all evils, and our 
strongest enemy, yet it is a comfort to think, that even 
he cannot compel us to sin, he can only persuade and 
tempt us ; so if -we put on the whole armour of God," 
we shall " become more than conquerors^ through 
Jesus Christ who hath loved us ;" and be saved from 
" the everlasting death," as the Catechism calls eternal 
punishment — that terrible hell inhabited by devils, 
where " the worm dieth not, and the fire is not 
quenched." See Matt. xxv. 46. Rom. vi. 23. 
Rev. XX. 14. 

William. Gh ! dear mamma, I know and be- 
lieve that it is only Jesus Christ who can deliver us 
from that awful place ; what should we do, if He had 
not said "My grace is sufficient for thee." 2 Cor. 
xii. 9. 

^ Mamma. The prophet Hosea says, xiii. 9, (speak- 
ing from God,) " Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself, 
but in me is thy help ;" and St. Peter, (2 Peter ii. 9,) 
says, " The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly 
out of temptations :" and He has taught us the only 
way to obtain His never-failing help, by constant and 
earnest prayer, such prayer as a drowning man would 
use, who unable to swim, could not reach the shore, 
and had nothing to rely on but God. Yet, we must 
not neglect the duty of keeping away from evil, and 



200 LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION. 

out of sight of temptation ; for if we wilfully run 
into clanger, we cannot expect that God will bring us 
out of it. Though Satan puts evil thoughts in our 
hearts, yet, if we yield to them, it is our own free 
act, and the sin lies at our own door. 

William. I will try, dear mamma, to avoid those 
things which I think likely to tempt me. If I feel 
inclined to be provoked by any thing that is said, I 
will, if I can, go out of hearing, till I can bear it ; or, 
I will try to remember how Jesus Christ bore the 
angry words of his enemies, and answered not a 
word. 

Mamma. If we are likely to be tempted by those 
things which please our outward senses, such as 
eating nice dainties, which children are too often fond 
of, instead of looking and wishing for that which is 
forbidden, we ought to turn our eyes and thoughts 
from it, as soon as possible. Read the Collect, my 
dear, for the fourth Sunday after the Epiphany. 

William (reads). I will learn that prayer by 
heart, dear mamma, and often use it ; but will you 
tell me about the conclusion of the Lord's Prayer, for 
we have gone through all the six petitions. 

Mamma. It is called the Doxology^ or form of 
praise, and by it we ascribe Sovereignty, Omnipo- 
tence, Honour, and Eternity to God the Father, Son, 
and Holy Spirit, who are all included in our prayer. 



LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION, 201 

Such doxologies are often used in Scripture, 1 Chron, 
xxix. 11. Psalm Ixxii. 18, 19. 1 Timothy i. 17. 
Rev. V. 13, 14; vii. 12. 

William. I think I understand it; if we are 
members of Christ's kingdom, and his subjects, God 
must be our king, and all we have, is at His disposal. 
He can do what he pleases to us, and for us ; and 
besides, we know the greatness of His power, and 
that he is both wiHing and able to " do more for us, 
than we can ask or think." Ephes. iii, 20. Then 
as to the glory, we know that if we do not glorify 
Him on earth. He will be honoured and glorified in 
heaven ; indeed, when the Jews desired Jesus to 
command the children, and his disciples to be silent, 
who were exclaiming, " Hosanna to the Son of David, 
&c." Jesus said, *' Should these hold their peace, 
the stones would immediately cry out." Do you 
not remember that, mamma ? Luke xix. 40. 

Mamma, Yes, my love, and I am very glad you 
thought of that text, as it proves clearly, that God 
must be glorified, whether we delight to do so or not; 
and these attributes must ever he ascribed to God, for 
He Himself says, " I am the Lord, I change not." 
Mai. iii. 6. 

William. How happy heaven must be ! because 
the love, and greatness and glory of God lasts for- 
ever, while all earthly love, and glory and greatness 



202 LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION. 

may be gone in a moment. Does not *' Amen," at 
the end of this, and other prayers, mean, " So I wish 
it to be ?" 

Mamma. Yes, and it also denotes, ** So I believe 
it to be ;" marking our entire trust and confidence in 
God's power and love, in Jesus Christ. Here are 
some texts which show, that it is only (as the Cate- 
chism expresses it,) " of his mercy and goodness, 
through our Lord Jesus Christ," that we can hope 
to obtain any of our petitions. Matt. xxi. 22. 
John xvi. 23. 2 Cor. i, 20. But, my dear boy, 
you must not think that by saying " amen" at the end 
of the prayers, when you are in church, or at family 
worship, that you need not follow the words spoken, 
with your heart and lips ; that would be like a person 
putting his name to a paper, signifying that he ap- 
proved of its contents, when he had never read it 
through, to see what it contained ; and by thus acting, 
he would deceive both himself and others. 

William. Thank you, for reminding me of that, 
it would indeed be very wrong; but, dear mamma, I 
never knew rightly what it was to pray before, and I 
am sure I did not understand half you have now taught 
me, about the Lord's Prayer. My Godmamma was 
quite right, when she said, you could teach me all 
about it, and now I know so much, how sad it will 
be if I do not pray \vith all my heart ! 



LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION. 203 

Mamma. We will often talk together about the 
privilege of praying to our heavenly Father, and I 
trust that my dear boy will openly speak to me on 
the subject, whenever he feels inclined. 

William. Indeed I will, dear Mamma, I am 
never so happy as when we are talking together. 

Mamma. God grant you may always delight in 
conversing on such subjects ! and may He, my child, 
give you a spirit of prayer ! I have written a little 
hymn for you on '* prayer," which I should like you 
to learn ! 

William. O thank you, I shall like it the bet- 
ter, if you have written it. Let me read it. 

ON PRAYER. 

In every hour of grief or joy 

Almighty God ! I'll fly to Thee, 
With songs of praise my lips employ, 

Or seek Thy aid on bended knee. 

Thou art my Father and my Friend, 

On Thee I place my surest stay ; 
On whom but Thee could I depend 1 

Who else could wash my guilt away 1 

Let not Thy child rebellious prove 

When prostrate, Lord, before Thy throne ; 

But, asking blessings from above, 

Still may he add, " Thy will be done." 



PART V. 

• 

SUNDAY EVEXLXG XXTL 

THE SACRAJIENTS. 

Aunt. My dear William, I am very glad of the 
opportunity which this short visit gives me, of talk- 
ing with you about the fifth and last part of the 
Church Catechism, which is called '* the Sacra- 
ments." 

William. And so am I, dear Godmamma, for I 
began to fear I should never finish it with you, and 
since you were so good as to begin explaining it to 
me, mamma said, she would rather you finished it, 
as this part is connected so much with the first. 

AuxT. The word *' sacrament" was originally 
used to signify the oath which was taken by the 
Roman soldiers, when they bound themselves to be 
faithful to their general. 

William. Oh then, I know what it means in the 
catechism. Something which binds us to be faithful 
soldiers of Jesus Christ, as the Baptismal Service 
says, — Is it not ? 

Aunt. Yes, my dear ; christians must ** fight 
manfully under his banner against sin, the world, and 
the devil," if they would continue Christ's faithful 
soldiers and servants unto the end. You have seen, 



THE SACRAMENTS. 205 

William, the difficulty of renouncing the world, the 
flesh, and the Devil; therefore we have the more 
reason to bind ourselves to do so, in a solemn man- 
ner, and especially in those ways which God has 
ordained. How many sacraments are there, by 
which we are bound to serve the Lord Jesus ? 

William. The catechism says, " Two only, as 
generally necessary to salvation ; that is to say, Bap- 
tism, and the Supper of the Lord." Why is a 
sacrament said to be generally necessary to salva- 
tion ? 

Aunt. Because commanded by God ; and if we 
wilfully break any of God's commands, we cannot 
be His children. The Bible tells us, that we are to 
be baptized, and that we are to partake of the Lord's 
Supper, and both by the special command of our 
Lord Himself. 

William. I understand it now. If it be possible, 
a Christian is bound to receive the Sacraments; if 
not, God will not be displeased. 

Aunt. How does the Catechism explain the 
meaning of Sacrament ? 

William. As " an outward and visible sign, of 
an inward and spiritual grace, given unto us, ordained 
by Christ himself, as a means whereby we receive 
the same, and a pledge to assure us thereof." Let 
me think a minute. "An outward visible sign, of 
18 



'206 THE SACRAMENTS. 

an inward and spiritual grace !'* That means, some- 
thing we can see, which is to remind us of something 
we cannot see. A sign or mark which is to remind 
us of the inward spiritual grace, which Christ h^as 
promised to send us, Christ has appointed this sign 
Himself, and He appointed it as a means by which 
the grace should come to us if -vve use it properly, 
and a pledge to make it sure to us ; so that those 
who rightly use the outward sign, may claim the 
promise of the inward grace. But what is the mean- 
ing of a pledore ? 

Aunt. A token* You will comprehend it better 
if I tell you by an illustration, the common use of 
the word. Suppose a king were to say to a subject, 
* I am indebted to you for your services to me, here 
is a ring^ and if ever you are in trouble and I can do 
you any good, send it to me, and I will be attentive 
to your request V This ring would be a pledge or 
token that the king would grant whatever he might 
reasonably ask. Years might pass, and the king may 
forget the man, and the service he had performed, — 
but if even then the ring was sent, all would be 
brought to his mind, and he would redeem or bring 
back his pledge by doing whatever was asked. 

William. I think I understand now what is 
meant by a sacrament. 

Aunt. You have already been taught all that is 



THE SACRAMENTS. 207 

necessary about the Sacrament of Baptism, in my 
first conversation with you, but do you know any 
thing about the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, 
William ? 

William. I do not understand much about it, I 
know that on one Sunday in every month, Papa and 
Mamma stay in church, after the sermon is over, and 
we go home; and they call those Sundays " Sacra- 
ment Sundays." Is it any thing which children 
ought not to know ? 

Aunt. No, my love ; any thoughtful children 
should have this Sacrament explained to them as well 
as the other; both are very solemn ordinances, and 
should be treated with the greatest reverence ; but as 
Baptism is administered to little children, and the 
Lord's Supper is not, it seems that the one concerns 
them more than the other, and therefore, a few words 
for the present will answer. You have already read 
the account of the first appointment of the Lord's 
Supper, and from it you learn that our blessed Sa- 
viour, the night before he suffered, knowing all that 
was to take place, and being fully aware how prone 
the human heart is to forget even the greatest bene- 
fits, commanded that all his disciples, that is to say 
all Christians, should often partake of a solemn meal, 
eating a little bread and drinking a little wine, in re- 
membrance of His precious body and blood, and he 



208 THE SACRAMENTS. 

desired all to do it, as a token that they beh)nged to 
Christ, and believed in His atonement. I shall here- 
after write to you more fully, if I have not an oppor- 
tunity of seeing you ; for the present, bear in mind, 
that it was the parting request (not to say command) 
of a dying Friend, — of such a friend as men never 
had before, nor could such another be found ! and his 
words were, " Do this in remembrance of me." We 
have also completed the consideration of the Cate- 
chism, or Instruction, which our church gives to her 
members ; and I hope you have been led to bless 
God for permitting you to be amongst their number. 
Value this privilege, as a wise child would value a 
pious, judicious and affectionate mother, whose in- 
structions were not her own, but God's, taken from 
His word, and pointing through His kingdom of grace 
here, to His kingdom of glory hereafter. 

William. I do indeed feel it is an honour, to 
belong to a Church, which takes so great an interest 
in little children, as well as riper Christians ; and I 
trust, if God (the wise God,) will some day permil 
such a sinful and ignorant child as I am to preach 
His everlasting Gospel, I do trust, that I may nevei 
bring disgrace upon the Church by forgetting or 
despising her Instructions. 



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